James E. "Jim" Ukrop, who led his family's Richmond grocery chain Ukrop's Super Markets for decades and expanded into banking and philanthropy, died Friday at age 89. Under his leadership starting in 1974, the company became Richmond's largest supermarket chain and distributed millions to community nonprofits before being sold in 2010. His influence extended through founding First Market Bank and New Richmond Ventures.
Jim Ukrop, who transformed his family's single Depression-era grocery store into Richmond's leading supermarket chain and became a prominent civic leader, died Friday at 89. After joining the business in 1960, he expanded Ukrop's to dozens of locations before selling 25 stores to Giant-Carlisle in 2010 for $140 million. He was deeply involved in Richmond's economic development, education initiatives, and charitable causes throughout his life.