“Due to evolving economic and market conditions”, Calgary Co-op says it has made “the difficult decision” to close its food stores in Hamptons and Sage Hill on March 28 as well as its Hamptons Wine Spirits Beer and Cannabis locations.
“We truly appreciate the Hamptons and Sage Hill team’s efforts to improve sales, serve our members and revitalize these stores. We are working closely with the union and our team members to ensure affected employees are supported,” said in an emailed statement to Retail Insider.
“While we never want to close a food store location, we do need to meet our members where they are at, and where Calgary Co-op’s unique suite of products and services will be most meaningful and profitable.
“These closures will also allow for the re-deployment of capital to other more sustainable stores and projects including our newly re-developed North Hill food store opening in the first quarter of 2026 as well as a planned food store for Marda Loop in 2027.”
In a letter to Co-op members, Executive Chair Ken White said: “While we never want to close a location, we do need to make decisions that are in the best interest of our members. I can assure you we remain committed to our long-term strategy of delivering exceptional customer experiences while creating value for our members, inspiring our team members and serving our local communities.”
Michael Kehoe, Broker of Record for Fairfield Commercial Real Estate in Calgary, said: “It is extremely rare for a retailer of this stature to close two stores on the same date in what you could say are relatively normal economic times in the greater Calgary regional trade area.
“Calgary Co-op are the local heroes on the local retail scene with their clustered grocery stores, gas bars, Wine Spirits Beer and Cannabis stores that will surely be missed by residents in Sage Hill and the Hamptons. These are ‘pocket’ markets in North Central Calgary that have likely not met the firm’s expectations on sales growth in the recent past. North Central Calgary is a battleground on the grocery retailing front, think gorilla-sized competitors like Costco, Superstore and Walmart, a ‘Darwinian’ struggle for a regional player at the best of times. Development of new stores is a capital intensive venture and with new projects like Marda Loop and the North Hill these store closures are a part of a larger corporate strategy.”
Calgary Co-op’s Evolution into a Regional Multi‑Format Retailer
Calgary Co-op is one of North America’s largest retail co-operatives, with its operations concentrated in Calgary and surrounding communities including Airdrie, Cochrane, High River, Okotoks and Strathmore. The organization serves more than 400,000 members and has been built out as a diversified retail platform that moves well beyond a traditional grocery co-op model. Under the Calgary Co-op banner are full-line food centres, many with in-store pharmacies, alongside stand-alone pharmacies, gas bars with convenience stores and touchless car washes, Home Health Care centres, Wine Spirits Beer locations and co-branded cannabis stores. Calgary Co-op also owns Community Natural Foods, Willow Park Wines & Spirits, Beacon Pharmacies and The Organic Box, adding further depth in natural and organic foods, specialty liquor and health offerings.
Over the past several years, Calgary Co-op has continued to expand and modernize its network while cementing its role as a regionally focused but multi-format retailer. The co-operative has added new mixed-use sites such as the Greystone development in Cochrane, where it opened a food centre, pharmacy, gas station with propane and car wash, and a Wine Spirits Beer store in 2025.
It has also broadened its reach well beyond the Calgary region through a majority stake in Care Pharmacies, a group of 56 independently operated pharmacies across five provinces, giving Calgary Co-op a national pharmacy footprint even as most locations continue to trade under the Care banner.
Founded to serve local members and return value to the communities where it operates, Calgary Co-op has leveraged the co-operative model to reinvest in store upgrades, new-format development and enhanced services. Its expansion into liquor, health, fuel, natural foods and cannabis reflects a strategy of clustering complementary uses around key sites, driving member convenience and trip frequency while anchoring neighbourhood retail nodes across the Calgary region.
I used to always shop at Co-op for my groceries, it’s right by my place, and it was convenient… That’s the only real positive.
The prices are just so high compared to other grocery stores.
Produce would be sitting on the shelves rotten, and how many times i’d get produce home cut it open just to find it bad, always seeing others bring items back because of the same issues.
Getting rid of their membership cheques pissed off a lot of members, and other stores just have better benefit systems and offers.
This isn’t such a suprise to me.
No surprise here. I find Coop terribly expensive. I live 2 minutes from my Coop in Rocky Ridge. I only use it when I really need something. There is absolutely no way I would do a grocery shop there. I’m also close to Walmart so I do 90% of my shopping there. It’s a shame there are stores closing but not at all surprised.
Fir the past 2 decades Calgary Coop (the incompetent people at the head office) had made so many wrong decisions without the consent of the members. One was moving away from the Co-op chain, two getting rid of the Patronage Refund cheques. I have been a member since 1982, supported the store that I highly respected. I’m sorry to see this great company loose the respect that once holded in the value if its products.
I love shopping at the Coop grocery stores but with the latest closures coming it will mean a 25 minute drive to the closest store for me. In the winter with icy roads that is not doable. Now I will have to choose another companies grocery store that is 5 minutes away. I will miss the weekly trip to Coop.
For a couple of bucks, WALMART online will do your shopping, bag it and deliver right to your front door, at your convenience. The fresh, fabulous quality of the food and the lowest prices around. We and many of our friends and relatives have been buying at WALMART ONLINE for years. I am very fussy about my fruit and vegetables. I don’t know how they find these fresh fruit and vegetables ready to eat, without bruises and blemishes. Prepare to be amazed on every delivery from Walmart Online.
I love the Coop!
I live two blocks from a Safeway store but gladly drive about two Km to go to the Coop
Maybe the prices are a little higher but the selection is outstanding……as are the employees.
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