Kroger In 1883, a man named Barney Kroger invested his whole like savings of $372 to open a grocery store. He opened the grocery store at 66 pearl street in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr.Kroger had a simple motto for his store: "Be Particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself." This motto served the company well over 130 years. His store has been a success. What began at one small store has branched off into 34 states and 2,600 stores. In the early 1900 's, he even used this motto. When most groceries bought their bread from independent bakeries, Kroger once again pursued quality as the key ingredient to profit. He began making his own bread. This made him able to reduce the prices for consumers and he still made a profit.