Jewel-Osco agrees to buy 19 Strack & Van Til stores in NW Indiana

Jewel-Osco has entered into an agreement to buy out 19 Strack & Van Til stores in Northwest Indiana, the company announced Monday.

Jewel agreed to the purchase of the 19 stores from Strack & Van Til's parent company Central Grocers. The proposed sale comes after Central Grocer's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Jewel's bid serves as a "stalking horse bidder" in a court-approved process. If other qualified bidders emerge, an auction will be held with Jewel's bid setting the floor for the auction.

As part of the sale agreement, Jewel has agreed to interview and extend offers of employment to the stores' employees.

The stores being sold are:

• Strack & Van Til Market, 9632 Cline Ave, Highland


• Strack & Van Til Market, 2800 Calumet Ave, Valparaiso (North)


• Strack & Van Til Market, 2168 W US Highway 30, Valparaiso (South)


• Strack & Van Til Market, 12 Ridge Rd, Munster


• Strack & Van Til Market, 200 W Franciscan Dr., Crown Point


• Strack & Van Til Market, 10851 Broadway, Crown Point 2



• Strack & Van Til Market, 9825 Wicker Ave, Saint John


• Strack & Van Til Market, 2080 E Commercial Ave, Lowell


• Strack & Van Til Market, 1515 Us Highway 41, Schererville


• Strack & Van Til Market, 1600 Pioneer Trail, Chesterton


• Strack & Van Til Market, 9605 Lincoln Plaza, Cedar Lake


• Strack & Van Til Market, 861 S College Ave, Rensselaer


• Strack & Van Til Market, 7760 E Ridge Rd, Hobart


• Strack & Van Til Market, 999 W Old Ridge Rd, Hobart


• Strack & Van Til Market, 1836 Calumet Ave, Whiting



• Strack & Van Til Market, 115 Sibley St, Hammond


• Strack & Van Til Market, 4725 Indianapolis Blvd, East Chicago


• Town & Country Market, 1605 Calumet Ave, Valparaiso


• Town & Country Market, 6046 Central Ave, Portage

It's still not clear yet if those stores will keep the Strack & Van Til name or be converted to Jewel-Oscos.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to grow the Jewel-Osco brand in the Midwest and welcome the Strack & Van Til team at those 19 stores to our Jewel-Osco family," said Doug Cygan, Jewel-Osco division president. "Our two companies share a rich history of serving customers in the Midwest as well as core beliefs in working hard to serve customers and deliver value every day on the finest quality fresh foods and local products."

Jewel-Osco is an Itasca-based subsidiary of Albertson Companies.

Central Grocers says it is still evaluating proposals for its 1,000,000 square foot distribution center in Joliet.