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Stop & Shop is set to close 32 underperforming stores across five New England states by year's end. The announcement has left many customers concerned about finding new shopping destinations.
Stop & Shop Announces Store Closures Across Five States
Stop & Shop will shut down its grocery stores in five states by November 2, according to a recent announcement by the grocery chain owned by Ahold Delhaize USA.
USA Today revealed that the affected stores are in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, with closures scheduled to occur gradually.
Stop & Shop President Gordon Reid expressed that the company is proud of its longstanding community connections and remains dedicated to supporting its employees, customers, and local communities.
He explained that closing the stores was tough but necessary to strengthen the company's foundation for future growth.
Stop & Shop has reviewed its operations and decided to close stores that were not doing well. As stated in a recent press release, this move aims to strengthen the company for future growth.
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Future Plans and Employee Support Amid Closures
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According to The U.S. Sun, the company assures all employees affected by the closures will be offered other positions within Stop & Shop.
Reid highlighted their strategy to enhance growth through significant price reductions and improving the value they offer customers in their physical stores and online.
This includes a commitment to lower everyday prices and providing more savings through strong promotional deals.
Furthermore, Stop & Shop has renovated over 190 stores and found that these remodeled locations perform better than others. Based on these successes, similar enhancements will be applied to other stores to reinforce the company's foundation.
Stop & Shop, which employs 58,000 people and runs about 400 stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island, is preparing for the closure of 32 of its locations.
According to a spokesperson in a statement to USA TODAY, the company is actively working to assist its employees during the transition period.
Caroline Medeiros, the corporate communications manager at Stop & Shop, mentioned that employees at the affected stores are offered positions elsewhere. She added that customers will be informed about the closing dates well beforehand.
Heartbroken Communities React to Stop & Shop Closures
The upcoming closure of 32 Stop & Shop stores could make Thanksgiving shopping challenging for New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island residents. New Jersey will experience the most significant impact, with ten stores slated to close.
In a Facebook post, Michael Franzone expressed his dismay, particularly about the closures in Howell and Jackson, noting that the towns would be left with few options. Howell Township, located about an hour east of Philadelphia, is a community that feels the loss.
Many locals have preferred Stop & Shop over competitors like ShopRite, which they find chaotic. One shopper lamented the potential consequences for Howell, fearing that ShopRite would raise its prices without competition.
The sentiment is similarly sorrowful among customers of the Carlstadt store. Rose Plosia shared her sadness on Facebook, emphasizing the store's importance to the community and noting the loss of a great pharmacy.
Jade Garland echoed this sentiment, praising the Carlstadt pharmacy staff for their outstanding service and friendliness.
After these closures, Stop & Shop's presence will be reduced to 359 locations.
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