How many dillon stores are there

In , Clyde Dillon was killed in a hunting accident in Colorado. Among Clyde's survivors was his son, Paul, who would join the executive ranks at Dillon in the s. Dillon's growth prospects during the s were thwarted by World War II. Because of a shortage of materials, very little new construction was allowed.

In addition, many of Dillon's employees were called away from their jobs for military service. Although Ray opened three new stores, he also closed down three others, and the company spent the s reorganizing and positioning for future expansion. Ray remodeled most of the chain's stores and expanded his warehouse facilities. He also converted the remainder of the outlets to self-service stores, which resembled the modern system of food aisles and checkout cash registers.

By , Dillon was still operating 24 stores in 14 different central Kansas towns. Its work force surged back to following the return of U. The Dillons played catch-up during the postwar economic boom that took hold in the s. Ray replaced six of the chain's existing stores with new units and added a total of five new stores during the early and mids. More importantly, he purchased the entire Wichita Division of the Kroger Company in , which tagged 16 stores onto the Dillon portfolio and significantly broadened its regional presence.

Dillon also bought out King Sooper, a small regional grocery store chain. Besides adding links to its chain during the s, Dillon began experimenting for the first time with merchandise other than traditional grocery items, including health and beauty aids, housewares, books and magazines, and various soft goods.

Likewise, Dillon lead the charge into the emerging frozen foods market by incorporating large freezer sections into its floor plans. Although the company's founder, John S. Dillon, died in , he had lived long enough to see the chain that bore his name grow into a multimillion-dollar venture. But only his sons and grandsons would watch the rampant expansion that followed.

Following its acquisitions, in fact, Dillon expanded at an explosive pace. The company went public in December of to raise growth capital and by the late s was operating a total of 40 supermarkets in 20 Kansas towns. During the s, the company added many new stores, including several in northwestern Arkansas and northern Oklahoma. It also built a giant new distribution center in Hutchinson, which included new offices, warehouse space, and a frozen food warehouse. Reflecting its enduring emphasis on innovation, Dillon computerized its operations in the mids.

It also became one of the first Midwest grocers to implement a discount pricing policy during the late s, and was among the first supermarket chains to adopt an environmental program aimed at reducing pollution and recycling waste. Even more important to Dillon's growth during the s and s than its core supermarket business was its expansion into a variety of related businesses. Throughout the period, Dillon purchased a string of other companies that complemented its grocery operations.

Reflecting its growing diversity, the organization changed its name from J. Dillon and Sons Company to Dillon Companies in By the end of the s, Dillon Companies had become a multi-billion-dollar corporate conglomerate.

Its core supermarket division, Dillon Stores, consisted of a chain of large grocery stores in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

In addition to that operation, though, were a number of healthy subsidiaries. It continued to operate its King Sooper chain, for instance, which encompassed more than 30 stores in the mids. Dillon also bought City Market Inc. Dillon also owned Mr. Aside from supermarkets, Dillon also set its sights on the burgeoning convenience store industry during the s.

That move represented a major shift in the company's market focus. Indeed, by the s, Dillon would be one of the largest operators of convenience stores in the nation, a status it achieved largely through acquiring other chains. During the s, for instance, Dillon purchased Time Saver Stores, a outlet chain of convenience stores in Louisiana. It also bought Quik Stop Markets, Inc. Peripheral investment activities during the decade included controlling interests in Wells Aircraft, Jackson Ice Cream Co.

After 64 years in the grocery business, most of it at the helm of Dillon Companies, Ray Dillon retired in The year-old Dillon had previously relinquished daily operating activities to other senior executives, many of whom were Dillon family members. At the time of his departure, the company was ranked as the 33rd largest U.

Indeed, Dillon had turned his one-shop operation into a corporate giant with more than supermarkets, convenience stores, and 18 department stores scattered throughout 11 states. After Ray Dillon's departure, son Ray E. Ace Dillon Jr. The younger Ray had already proved himself by leading the company as president for more than a decade.

Richard W. Dillon, another son, became president, and Paul Dillon son of cofounder Clyde Dillon became senior vice-president.

Under their direction, as the company had been for several years, Dillon continued to expand at a rapid pace. Between and , in fact, Dillon added about 15 more supermarkets and 50 new convenience stores.

It also diversified into a range of new ventures, including real estate, investments, and restaurants. Dillon's unchecked growth through acquisition during the s reflected a predominant grocery store industry trend toward consolidation.

Partly because of advancements in distribution, food preservation, and electronic information technologies, companies were finding that they could achieve significant economies of scale by acquiring their competitors. Dillon, for example, succeeded by purchasing companies and allowing them to operate relatively autonomously.

It benefitted from greater influence with its suppliers and, in some cases, by integrating some of its subsidiaries' activities such as reporting or warehousing into the larger Dillon organization.

As the food industry became increasingly competitive during the late s and early s, consolidation intensified. It was not surprising, then, that supermarket powerhouse Kroger made a bid for Dillon Companies in Kroger had been a major player in the U. The chain was founded in the s by Barney Kroger, who started his company in a bright red wagon that he would haul around Cincinnati to sell tea and coffee.

By the time Barney retired in , he was a wealthy grocer with a chain that dwarfed the Dillon venture at the time. The chain expanded at a pace similar to that achieved by Dillon during the mids, making it the second largest grocer in the nation next to Safeway. After acquiring Dillon in , the Kroger portfolio swelled to more than 1, food stores, drug stores, and 33 manufacturing plants by the mids. Although Kroger was known as an aggressive, bottom-line competitor, it also had a reputation for leaving its successful acquisitions alone.

In fact, when Kroger bought out the Dillon chain, it promised the Dillon brothers that it would allow them to continue running the company with only minimal interference. Kroger lived up to that promise during the s. The greatest difference effected by the acquisition was that Dillon suddenly had access to a larger pool of capital. Between and , Dillon tagged 30 more supermarkets onto it chain. It also launched an initiative to renovate a large number of existing stores.

Most notably, Dillon aggressively attacked the convenience store segment. It grew its number of convenience store outlets to more than by the late s, a three-fold increase since the late s. Beginning in , Dillons fuel centers were expanded in Kansas to further offer convenience and money-savings to customers. Dillons opened the first of its kind Marketplace in Wichita, KS in , featuring a full-service grocery, expanded fresh perishable sections, and fashionable general and home merchandise all under one roof.

Today, more than 12, associates are employed at 80 stores, 2 distribution centers, and 1 corporate office in the Dillon Stores Division spread across Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri with open stores and openhearted hospitality. Dillons offers a store format for nearly every kind of shopper. With small hometown markets, supermarkets, Marketplace stores, price-impact stores, fuel centers and even online shopping with pickup, delivery, and ship-to-home, Dillons proudly serves communities across Kansas.

With this bold social impact plan, Dillons is joining its Kroger Family of Stores to end hunger in its communities and eliminate waste across the company by Non-profit organizations are encouraged to visit www. This specific contribution will be in addition to its regular community-focused giving. Customers are also encouraged to visit our website www.

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