The company will close its remaining five Greater Cincinnati area stores by the end of May, including the bigg’s store at 4824 Union Center Blvd. in West Chester Twp.
Haley Meyer-Marconett, spokeswoman for SUPERVALU, said employees were told of the impending closures and sales on Monday, and that the company is “working individually with each of them to explain their options.”
The decision to exit the Greater Cincinnati market was made after “much deliberation,” said Meyer-Marconett.
“However, this move will ultimately allow us to focus on improving the shopping experience throughout our strategic network of owned and supplied stores,” she said.
Linda Farmer, of Harrison, who shops at the bigg’s store in Harrison, which also will close, and in Deerfield Twp. near her workplace, said she is frustrated by the growing lack of grocery options.
“Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Kroger. ... It will be at least a 20- to 25-mile round-trip drive for me to the nearest competitor,” she said.
SUPERVALU is the second largest U.S. grocery chain, behind Cincinnati-based Kroger. According to statistics from 2009, the company had a 5.5 percent share of the grocery market in Greater Cincinnati through its Save-A-Lot and bigg’s stores.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
About the Author