A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Remke Markets of Fort Mitchell closing permanently in April; employees to receive job assistance


By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter

Remke Markets of Fort Mitchell is a longstanding business on Dixie Highway and a familiar shopping destination for many loyal customers.

That will all come to an abrupt end next month when the Fort Mitchell store closes its doors for the final time.

Management informed employees last week that the Remke Markets of Fort Mitchell location will be closed permanently in mid-April. The entire Remke chain had been sold a year ago to Generative Growth LLC, but remained open under the family name and managed by Fresh Encounter Inc.

Generative Growth LLC is based out of Findlay, Ohio.

“We don’t have the exact date, but it will be in the middle of April when the Fort Mitchell store closes,” said Julie Anderson, director of marketing for Fresh Encounter Inc. and Remke Markets. “There’s also another [Remke] store very close in Crescent Springs. The Fort Mitchell store did not have the sales levels that we had hoped for, and the decision to close it was made last week.”

Management informed employees last week that the Remke Markets of Fort Mitchell location will be closed permanently in mid-April. The entire Remke chain had been sold a year ago to Generative Growth LLC, but remained open under the family name and managed by Fresh Encounter Inc.

The Remke family opened the business in 1897 and had thrived with its community-driven service. In the past three years, however, three stores — one in Newport and two in Cincinnati — had also been closed down.

Anderson said employees at the Fort Mitchell store were notified last week of the impending shutdown. “They were told either Wednesday or Thursday,” she said.

Despite the closing in Fort Mitchell, Anderson said nine other Remke stories will remain open in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area. The Crescent Springs Remke Markets is located just two miles from the Fort Mitchell store.

For those employees losing their jobs at the Fort Mitchell location, there is some good news.

“We are looking to help our associates at the Fort Mitchell store find other opportunities,” Anderson said. “There are still nine other Remke stores in that market.”

Former store president Matthew Remke passed away last November, just nine months after the business had been sold to Generative Growth LLC. His father, Bill Remke, also retired in 2017 after spending more than 60 years with the family grocery chain.

After the sale of Remke Markets to Generative Growth LLC in 2017, Matthew Remke provided a written explanation to the store’s customers.

“The decision to sell Remke Markets was a difficult one, [but] we are excited that these new resources will allow us to greatly enhance our customer experience,” he wrote in the letter. “This change will allow us to continue to deliver on our promise of a local, neighborhood grocery with exceptional service in convenient locations, as well as to preserve valuable employment for our dedicated associates.”


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One Comment

  1. Michael J. Geiget says:

    I shopped with my grandmother, Rose Geiger, at Remke’ s in the mid 1950’s when we visited from My Healthy or stayed during the summers. It was always a fun walk down from the house which was a few lots south on Orphanage Rd. Sometimes we took and fill our wagon or pushed a cart. Great store! Loved the candy!

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