KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Associated Wholesale Grocers here said yesterday it has reached an agreement with Dillon Stores, a division of the Kroger Co., Cincinnati, to purchase four food-and-drug combination stores in Shawnee and Olathe, Kan., and Pleasant Hill, Mo., for an undisclosed price. The transaction is expected to close by the middle of February. The wholesaler said the stores will be passed on to independent retailers in the market here; it also said the new owners of those stores are expected to interview and offer employment to many Dillon employees. Dillon, meanwhile, was reported last week to be a likely buyer for some of AWG’s five Homeland stores in the Wichita market. Kroger declined to comment on those reports.

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