Accordingly The sunStop & Shop, a well-known grocery retailer with 397 stores across the country, has confirmed the closure of its store in Worcester, Massachusetts, until November 2. Despite pleas from city officials, the company said the decision was final and efforts to keep the store open had been unsuccessful.
Stephanie Cunha, Stop & Shop’s regional retail communications manager, confirmed the Worcester closure in a statement to MassLive earlier this week
Store closures in Massachusetts are part of a broader shutdown
The Worcester location is one of eight Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts scheduled to close by the end of 2024. The closures also affect stores in Brockton, Halifax, Newton, Pembroke, Raynham, Shrewsbury and Springfield. In total, 32 Stop & Shop stores will close in five states, including Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.
32 Stop & Shop locations will be closed
Stop & Shop has announced the closure of 32 locations in the Northeast.
All shops are closed on November 2nd or before.
Connecticut:
- 100 Division St., Ansonia
- 211 High St., Torrington
- 1937 West Main St., Stamford
- 855 Bridgeport Ave., Milford
- 72 Newtown Road, Danbury
Massachusetts:
- 932 North Montello St., Brockton
- 36 New State Highway, Raynham
- 341 Plymouth St., Halifax
- 539-571 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury
- 165 Needham St., Newton
- 415 Cooley St., Springfield
- 545 Lincoln St. Worcester
- 24 Mattakeesett St., Pembroke
New Jersey:
- 1083 Inman Ave., Edison
- 1049 US Highway 1 South, Edison
- 4861 US Highway 9, Howell
- 1278 U.S. Highway 22, Phillipsburg
- 581 Stelton Rd., Piscataway
- 625 Paterson Ave., Carlstadt
- 1221 State Route 27, Franklin Township
- 130 Skyline Dr, Ringwood
- 505 Richmond Ave, Point Pleasant Beach
- 2275 West County Line Rd., Jackson
New York:
- 2965 Cropsey Avenue, Brooklyn
- 130 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale
- 7 Samsondale Plaza, West Haverstraw
- 294 Mittellandstrasse, Coram
- 240 East Sanford Blvd., Mount Vernon
- 132 Fulton Ave., Hempstead
- 2525 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow
Rhode Island:
- 11 Commerce Way, Johnston
- 176 Pittman St., Providence
Impact on employees and community
Employees at the Worcester store will have the opportunity to transfer to two other Stop & Shop stores in the city. The company has underscored its commitment to employee retention by providing other opportunities within the company. However, local customers and city officials have raised concerns about the impact of the closure on the community, particularly due to crime in the area and competition from other grocery chains such as Aldi and Market Basket.
Customer reactions underline local concerns
The closure announcement sparked reactions from customers, according to a Facebook post, with many pointing to high theft rates and increased competition as contributing factors. Some also expressed disappointment at the loss of a major grocery store in that part of Worcester and raised concerns about the future of the neighborhood and the possibility of more store closures.
