From Walmart to Rite Aid, it seems as if almost every company is chopping away at its stores across the U.S. Over the last few years, we've seen a number of companies close up shop completely while others have been paring down locations in an attempt to stay afloat. But while you likely don't want to see any store go, the impacts of grocers shuttering locations could be even more harmful for communities. Unfortunately, one grocery chain is doing just that this week. Read on to find out which supermarket is closing several stores, starting May 6.
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Several grocery chains have shuttered multiple locations recently.
ShutterstockDespite attracting a steady supply of customers, grocers across the U.S. have not been immune to the recent wave of store closures. Through 2020 and 2021, notable chains such as Giant Eagle, Piggy Wiggly, Save-a-Lot, and Kroger shuttered multiple locations across the U.S. for various reasons, according to Mashed.
One grocery chain even closed its doors for good last year. According to Mashed, Bi-Lo closed all of its stores by April 2021 after decades of service. "Thank you for 60 years," the company's website now reads. "Bi-Lo is proud to say we have been a part of your family and traditions for the past six decades. It has been our honor to bring your community quality food and great prices. As we close our doors this year, we would like to say one final thank you, to everyone who we were able to serve."
And now another popular grocery chain is getting ready to close several stores.
iStockSeveral Whole Foods Market stores are getting shuttered this week, Bloomberg recently reported. This upscale supermarket chain is owned by Amazon, who bought the grocer in 2017 for more than $13 million, per The New York Times. Amazon confirmed to Bloomberg that it will be closing six separate Whole Foods locations starting May 6.
"As we continue to position Whole Foods Market for long-term success, we regularly evaluate the performance and growth potential of each of our stores, and we have made the difficult decision to close six stores,” a Whole Foods spokeswoman told the news outlet in an email. "We are supporting impacted Team Members through this transition and expect that all interested, eligible Team Members will find positions at our other locations.”
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The six locations are located in several different states.
ShutterstockThere are currently more than 500 Whole Foods stores in the U.S. in more than 40 states, per data company ScrapeHero. Amazon told Bloomberg on April 29 that the soon-to-be shuttered Whole Foods stores are spread across four different states: Alabama, California, Massachusetts, and Illinois. In Alabama, both Montgomery and Mobile are losing locations on May 6, alongside Tarzana, California and Brookline, Massachusetts, according to Insider.
The other planned closures are in Chicago, with a DePaul neighborhood location also shutting down May 6 while an Englewood neighborhood store will close in the coming months on an unspecified date. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot told Bloomberg that the decision to shutter two stores in her city was "disappointing."
Amazon is also planning to close a number of other stores.
ShutterstockThis is hardly the only store closure Amazon has planned for the near future. In March, the tech giant told Reuters that it will be closing a flurry of the physical stores it owns by shuttering all of its physical bookstores, pop-up shops, and '4-star' stores in both the U.S. and the U.K. This will affect a total of 68 stores, with closing dates varying by location. But this decision was partly marketed as a way for the company to devote attention to other ventures, such as Whole Foods.
"We've decided to close our Amazon 4-Star, Books, and Pop Up stores, and focus more on our Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, Amazon Go stores and our Just Walk Out technology," an Amazon spokesperson told Insider at the time. "We remain committed to building great, long-term physical retail experiences and technologies."
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