STOPPED SHOPPIN: Popular grocery chain with over 400 locations confirms stores will shut for good in days after 32 closures announced

According to THE SUN, POPULAR grocery chain Stop & Shop has confirmed that another of its locations will be shutting its doors permanently. The supermarket giant, which operates over 400 stores, recently revealed plans to close a total of 32 underperforming locations across the Northeast.

The Stop & Shop in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, has officially announced its closure. Initially set for early November, the store’s closing date has been moved up to October 23, 2024, then further to September 9, 2024.

The decision to close the Phillipsburg location came as the store began to run low on essential materials, including food items. TAPinto first reported the news, citing the store’s dwindling inventory as a sign of its imminent closure.

In a broader move, Stop & Shop announced in July that it would be closing 32 of its underperforming stores by the end of the year. Despite these closures, the company reassured customers that it would maintain a strong presence across its five-state footprint, with more than 350 stores remaining operational.

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Gordon Reid, President of Stop & Shop, expressed the company’s commitment to its communities: “Stop & Shop is proud of the deep roots and community ties we have developed as a neighborhood grocer of more than 100 years. We remain committed to nourishing our associates, customers, and communities.”

Reid added that the company’s decision to close certain stores was part of a strategy to create a healthier base for future growth. He assured that all store associates would be accommodated at other nearby locations within the Stop & Shop network.

In addition to the Phillipsburg store, nine other locations in New Jersey are set to close. Other affected states include New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

Since the news broke, local residents have expressed their concerns on social media. One former employee reminisced about their time working in the produce department, while others lamented the loss of another grocery option in Phillipsburg.

“I used to work in the produce dept in ’02-’04,” one local wrote. Another user commented, “Another grocery option gone in P’burg. They really DO want EVERYONE at Wal-Mart, eh?”

EMPTY SHELVES

Despite the official closure date being set for later in the year, shoppers have already observed empty shelves since August. One Facebook user shared their experience of finding no products available when attempting to purchase pain medication.

“Husband ran to Stop & Shop Phillipsburg to get some aspirin and such, found this…,” they posted. “They said closing November. Guess tomorrow will have me running to a local pharmacy or three to see if they will handle our prescriptions as we need them to.”

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Another user speculated that the store might close even earlier than planned. “Seems to be emptying out quicker than they said,” they predicted.