Very few businesses are as relied-upon as local grocery stores. Whether they're keeping the pantry stocked or picking up a treat, people count on them to have what they need—which can leave communities vulnerable when their local shop suddenly disappears. Now, one major grocery store chain has left residents reeling after a very abrupt closure. Read on to see which popular supermarket shut down for good, and why some are still in disbelief over the change.
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Several major grocery chains have suddenly closed locations over the past year.
Gorodenkoff / ShutterstockUnlike traditional retail operations, grocery stores typically find themselves relatively immune to the economic slumps that can spell doom for many businesses. But even so, several major supermarket chains have recently announced that they're closing locations.
In May, beloved regional grocer Sprouts Farmers Market said it would be closing four of its locations in California and one in Colorado, potentially due to increased rent and local competition, The Mercury News reported. And earlier that month, Whole Foods announced it would be closing six locations across Alabama, California, Massachusetts, and Illinois before June.
However, not all grocers give a heads up when planning to shutter locations, including a recent closure that has left residents without an alternative shopping option.
One major grocery chain recently shuttered a location without warning.
iStockIt's never good to lose a retailer you love. But when the Aldi grocery store in the Auburn Graham neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago shuttered on June 12, residents say they didn't receive so much as a hint from the store that it would be gone for good after 13 years, local affiliate CBS 2 reports.
"I came over myself to see, and it was closed. The gates were locked. The signs are all gone," resident and former customer Juanita Love told CBS 2.
Another former shopper said the closure completely caught them by surprise, telling the news outlet: "I was flabbergasted."
Local officials say residents have dwindling options for basic necessities.
iStockUnfortunately, the latest closure is one of a string of shutterings that has left the community with fewer essential resources and less access to grocery stores and pharmacies. Recently, the neighborhood also lost a Save A Lot grocery store, a BJ's Market & Bakery, and a CVS, local news outlet Block Club Chicago reports.
According to signs posted at the now-closed Auburn Gresham store, the next nearest Aldi location is three miles away, which is prohibitively far for many who live in the area. "That was a great hurt to not only me, but some of the seniors that don't drive and they have no transportation," Love told CBS 2.
A response from the grocery store chain cited burglary as one reason for the closing.
ShutterstockLocal officials chastised the grocery chain for closing its doors without adequately warning the local community. But while representatives remained relatively silent leading up to the store's final days, they did offer an explanation when reached for comment by CBS 2.
"We've made the difficult decision to permanently close our store located at 7627 S. Ashland Ave. in Chicago. The store's final day of operation was Sunday, June 12," an Aldi spokesperson told the news station. "We do not take the closing of this location lightly. Our decision was based on several factors, including repeated burglaries and declining sales. Out of concern for our employees and customers, keeping this store open was no longer a sustainable option. All of our employees have been given the option to continue working at one of our other Aldi locations in the immediate area."
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