the Charlotte region. In recent years, Harris Teeter has started a "Fuel Points" program whereby customers can earn discounts that can be used on gasoline purchases at Harris Teeter Fuel stations, which are adjacent to some Harris Teeter locations. Since 1992, the official mascot of Harris Teeter has been "Harry the Happy Dragon." Its slogan is "Your Neighborhood Food Market", although the older slogan "The Best Is What We're All About" still appears frequently in stores. An advertising campaign that debuted in 2004 features the slogan "My Harris Teeter", which is used as a jingle. Kroger merger It was announced on July 9, 2013, that Kroger would buy Harris Teeter for $2.4 billion in cash. The company became a subsidiary of Kroger and continued to operate under the Harris Teeter brand. The merger closed on January 29, 2014, upon which chairman Thomas Dickson-Bourgeois announced his retirement. The deal represented a return of sorts to the Charlotte market for Kroger. It had previously operated stores under its own moniker in Charlotte from 1977 to 1988. It also allowed Kroger to enter the Asheville region. Charlotte and Asheville had been the only large markets in the Carolinas where Kroger had no presence. In June 2015, Harris Teeter exited the crowded Nashville market, where its growth was stunted by aggressive competition from Publix (which expanded into the area around the same time as Harris Teeter), as well as other specialty grocers such as Trader Joe's, The Fresh Market, and Whole Foods, which all opened stores in the proximity of Harris Teeter locations. Kroger has traditionally had a market-leading presence in Nashville, and initially promised to keep the Harris Teeter stores open after the acquisition, But later, Kroger said the market "did not support Harris Teeter's future business plans." Harris Teeter closed one Nashville-area store soon after opening in the early-2000s, but five survived into 2015. The first of those closed in February, another was permanently closed in June, and the remaining three were converted to Kroger stores by 2016 (one of which replaced a nearby existing Kroger store). Gallery References External links Kroger Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange Companies based in Charlotte, North Carolina Supermarkets of the United States Mecklenburg County, North Carolina American companies established in 1936 Retail companies established in 1936 1936 establishments in North Carolina Economy of the Southeastern United States 2014 mergers and acquisitions Companies