PITTSBURGH \u2014 Wednesday morning, Kroger announced it\u2019s buying Giant Eagle for $ 1.65 billion. It\u2019s not the first time Kroger has been in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
RELATED COVERAGE >>> Giant Eagle to be acquired by Kroger, deal valued at $1.65 billion<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m 73 and Kroger was the place to go when I was a younger man,\u201d Wally Krebs from Avalon said. <\/p>\n Four decades after Kroger left Pittsburgh, the Cincinnati-based grocer is coming back.<\/p>\n RELATED COVERAGE >>> Kroger to buy Giant Eagle: History of both grocery stores in Pittsburgh dates back to 1918<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll give more clout to the store and everything. I\u2019m just concerned a lot about what they\u2019re going to do with the employees. Are they going to honor the unions and everything like that?\u201d Don Leisifer from Ross Township said.<\/p>\n According to Giant Eagle\u2019s CEO, Bill Artman, Giant Eagle will operate as a division of Kroger, where Giant Eagle will keep its name and products.<\/p>\n RELATED COVERAGE >>> Will Giant Eagle keep its name after sale to Kroger? What will happen to its perks loyalty program?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIf they put out the products that Giant Eagle did, I\u2019ll be fine with that,\u201d Grandma Rose, a Giant Eagle shopper, said.<\/p>\n Giant Eagle employees are also part of the deal, with Kroger saying it plans to keep them.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen there\u2019s mergers you never know so god bless the employees cause I\u2019ve been through mergers,\u201d Kathy Krauth-Miller said.<\/p>\n Kroger also plans to maintain Giant Eagle\u2019s \u201cmyPerks\u201d loyalty programs and says it will keep the headquarters in Cranberry Township.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s good news, the rest of it I\u2019ll have to look into. I\u2019m not really sure what Kroger is planning to do,\u201d Tony Innamorato said. <\/p>\n Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor says his office is looking to meet with Kroger executives to get a better feel for what their vision is for Giant Eagle\u2019s 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O\u2019Connor said, \u201cWe want to make sure that locations stay open. That we can work with the new owners about why this store or that store is so important to a particular neighborhood.\u201d <\/p>\n The deal is expected to close in 2027. <\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n