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Kings to close stores in Hillsdale, Whitehouse Station
Moves will create 122 job cuts
Closures planned by Jan. 2, 2027
Kings has 16 stores remaining in New Jersey
New Jersey-born upscale grocery chain Kings Food Markets will shut down two more local stores, according to company officials.
The Acme Markets-owned grocer plans to close locations in Hillsdale and Whitehouse Station early next year. Kings notified 122 workers it would let them go, according to an October filing with the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development.
A spokesperson told NJBIZ the sites will wind down no later than Jan. 2, 2027
“Our goal is to place as many associates as possible in other stores,” they said. “Our human resources and labor relations teams will be working diligently with each affected associate and his or her labor union to find other work, wherever possible, that is consistent with the applicable law or labor agreement.”
The media representative went on, “Anyone who is unable to secure a job will be eligible for severance in accordance with applicable laws and any applicable CBA [collective bargaining agreement].”
Founded in 1936 in Summit by the Bildner family, Kings is known for its high-quality foods, locally sourced produce, specialty cheeses and prepared foods. At its peak, the banner had roughly two dozen stores in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
In August 2020, Kings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after years of declining sales, mounting debt and intensifying competition.
Soon after, Albertsons subsidiary Acme Markets acquired the company for $96.4 million. The deal also included Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market, a specialty grocer owned by Kings. Since then, several Kings locations have closed, including Chatham, Maplewood, Long Hill, Hoboken, Bernardsville, Warren and Ridgewood.
The chain’s footprint stands at 16 stores in New Jersey. There’s also a Kings in Long Island, N.Y., and Old Greenwich, Conn. The Balducci’s brand has gone from eight stores to six stores spread across Connecticut, Maryland, New York and Virginia.
Acme closures
The planned closures of Kings in Hillsdale and Whitehouse Station come as Albertsons reevaluates its store footprint in the wake of a failed $25 million merger with grocery giant Kroger.
As of June 2026, Idaho-headquartered Albertsons operates 2,240 stores nationwide under 22 banners. Besides its namesake brand, the company’s portfolio includes Safeway, Vons and Jewel-Osco.
Since the deal with Kroger fell apart in late 2024, Albertsons reported it closed about 45 stores. Locally, that’s included two Acme locations (Edgewater and Sussex).
Acme still has 67 stores across the state.
The former Acme site in Edgewater recently reopened as an Inserra Supermarkets-owned ShopRite.
In Sussex, Elmwood Park-based RIPCO Real Estate is still marketing the 48,762-square-foot space left vacant by Acme at within Route 23 shopping center.
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