ST. JOHN – Employees of the Dillons grocery store in St. John received some bad news Friday. Dillons corporate officials announced that the store would be close as of Feb. 6.

“These decisions are never taken lightly,” said Sheila Lowrie, Hutchinson-based Dillon Stores Division spokesperson. “We reviewed all possible options.”

The division covers Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. This was the only Dillons being closed at this time, Lowrie said.

There are about 22 employees at the store, Lowrie said. The company will work with them to help transfer to other locations.

The St. John Dillons, located at 109 E. Fourth, had been in business for many years, Lowrie said. That made this move even more difficult.

It is a small market and it was challenging to maintain a large inventory. Many customers shopped at Dillons stores in Great Bend or Hutchinson since they could find what they needed.

“It was really the only decision we could make,” she said.

Statewide, Dillons operates 64 food stores, 72 convenience stores and four jewelry stores. The Kansas workforce is 11,500.

Kroger has been around since 1883 and merged with Dillons in 1983. After merging with Fred Meyer in 1999 and Harris Teeter in 2014, Kroger now has 400,000 employees in 44 states.

The Great Bend Tribune contacted the store and was advised that all statements and information was to come from the Huthinson office.