Shaw’s to Close Two New England Stores as Grocery Market Shifts
Two Shaw’s Supermarket stores will close – one in Gloucester, Massachusetts and another in Concord, New Hampshire. The stores closing are at 7 Railroad Ave. in Gloucester and 20 Fort Eddy Road in Concord.
“Like all retailers, we’re constantly evaluating the performance of our stores. Closing a location is always a tough decision, but we’re focused on continuing to provide the products and services our customers value most,” a Shaw’s spokesperson told CBS News Boston.
The chain operates 81 stores across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with employees at closing locations being offered positions at other nearby stores.
This comes after the December collapse of a huge $24.6 billion merger between Shaw’s parent company Albertsons and Kroger. The deal fell through due to concerns about competition.
Major changes are happening in New England’s grocery stores. Stop & Shop closed seven locations in Massachusetts last year while rolling out a major four-year renovation plan.
After looking at sales data and market patterns, the 150-year-old chain made this difficult decision. Now community members are concerned about job losses and having fewer grocery options in their areas.
As more customers shop online instead of in stores, Albertsons keeps adjusting which locations remain open. It’s part of a larger transformation as grocery stores adapt to new shopping trends.
When the Kroger deal failed, it prevented what might have been widespread store closures and layoffs. The unsuccessful merger highlights the challenges facing today’s grocery industry.