Harding’s to Buy Village Markets in Allegan, Gobles and More

According to one local media source a tentative agreement has been reached.

A beloved chain of small-town grocery stores is about to be acquired by one of the area’s largest independently owned and operated markets. What could this mean for local residents?

I certainly didn't have this one on my 2025 bingo card!

There's about to bet yet another major shakeup in the Michigan grocery scene. Just months after it was announced SpartanNash would be acquired by New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers another sale is already in the works. This one hits home.

A staple in towns like my hometown of Allegan, Murk Management of South Haven operates four Village Market Food Centers, including locations in Gobles, Colon, and Decatur. Whether you need hot potato wedges, cold beer, or you're missing a crucial ingredient for dinner, Village Market is the perfect place to pop in and grab the essentials.

As an Allegan native I can't remember a time when Village Market wasn't there.

It has that, dare I say, quaint small-town charm in that it rarely ever changes; I know what to expect and I know where to find what I need! That's why I have mixed emotions about this pending change.

According to TownBroadcast Harding’s Friendly Markets has entered a tentative agreement to purchase the four Village Market stores of Southwest Michigan:

Shoppers in Allegan, Colon, Decatur and Gobles can expect another change with the arrival of Harding’s. Neither chain has made an official announcement yet, but rumors have been stirring, and Wilcox Newspapers in Allegan was able to corroborate them with some close sources.

Another local chain, Harding's was founded in Parchment, Michigan in 1944 by Melvin Harding. Today Harding's sons and grandsons are still involved in ownership of the chain which operates 28 locations across Southwest Michigan and Indiana.

It is unclear what will happen to the three Village Xpress gas stations and one car wash after the sale.