Richmond loses pillar: Ukrop's Supermarkets sold to Giant

Ukrop's has been sold.

I'm happy for the Ukrop family if this deal was what they needed but it's a sad day for thousands who have patronized Ukrop's supermarkets for years.

Giant Foods announced today that they had acquired Ukrop's for $140 million:

... Giant-Carlisle, a Division of Ahold USA, will expand its presence in Virginia by acquiring 25 stores from Ukrop's Super Markets, Inc. Ukrop's is a family-owned business based in Richmond, Virginia. The transaction includes 25 stores, inventory, equipment, lease agreements and one new store location. Furthermore, Giant-Carlisle will hire Ukrop's store associates. The purchase price is approximately $140 million.

The Ukrop announcement:

"Today Ukrop's is announcing that we are leaving the retail grocery business," said Bobby Ukrop during the press conference this afternoon at the Sheraton West Richmond Hotel.

The Ukrops will continue their presence in the Richmond business world:

"While the retail business will no longer exist, there will be Ukrop's still involved in the food business," [Bobby] Ukrop said, announcing that he will be the CEO of a new enterprise of Ukrop's kitchen and bakery products & goods to be sold in the Giant Foods stores.

"The First Market [Bank] branches will remain in the stores and operate as usual, just as the other departments," Bobby Ukrop said.

Thank you to the Ukrop family for their community involvement and for being almost like members of our own families throughout the years. Those familiar Ukrop's grocery bags, the friendliness of store personnel, cleanliness of stores, and all the favorite foods from the Ukrop kitchens will be missed.

NBC 12 is asking viewers to share their memories of Ukrop's Supermarkets.