King Soopers on South Academy in Colorado Springs reopening after closure due to asbestos contamination

A King Soopers grocery store located at 2910 S Academy Boulevard is reopening on Wednesday after a three-month plus closure due to asbestos contamination. 

The company confirmed the opening in a press release. Representatives plan to host a ribbon cutting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in front of the remodeled store. 

“King Soopers looks forward to welcoming associates and customers back to their home store and offering access to fresh, affordable, and delicious food at this location once again,” the company said in a statement. 

The company abruptly closed the location in June after workers discovered asbestos in the building’s flooring. The timeline for reopening remained unclear for much of the closure, triggering fears around a lack of fresh food access in southeast Colorado Springs. 

The company offered free delivery to customers of the store throughout the closure and donated money to local food banks to help fill the gap. Still, the lack of their local King Soopers meant many residents had to drive 20 minutes to reach a grocery store.

During the closure, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and a “certified asbestos consulting firm” worked on renovating the grocery store, the company said in a statement. 

A spokeswoman did not respond to questions about specific steps taken in the remodel. 

Store hours will return to their same schedule from before the June closure. King Soopers said it plans to distribute food samples, gift cards and donations to local food banks at Wednesday’s reopening ceremony.