Shelves empty as five Stop & Shop locations in CT prepare to close their doors for good

It’s the final weeks for five Connecticut Stop & Shop locations, as they will all close their doors for good on Oct. 31.

The Massachusetts-based grocery chain announced the store closures in July, according to Stop & Shop spokesperson Stephanie Cunha.

The closing stores are at 100 Division St. in Ansonia, 72 Newtown Road in Danbury, 855 Bridgeport Ave in Milford, 1937 West Main St. in Stamford and 211 High St. in Torrington. Four of the five closing state locations have another Stop & Shop in their city or town.

“A multitude of factors went into determining which store locations would close, including store performance, terms of our real estate deals and the broader community impact. Stop & Shop remains committed to serving its communities through other store locations, online shopping and home delivery services,” Cunha said.

Stop & Shop is Connecticut’s largest grocery chain. After the five closures, there will be 81 stores in the state and 350 total throughout New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. A total of 32 stores, including the five Connecticut locations, were announced to close in July.

Customers may have noticed shelves getting emptier with each passing day.

“We will continue to stock produce, dairy, meat and essentials until the last day of operation at our impacted locations, however the remainder of our products are not being restocked once they have sold through,” Cunha said.

Cunha said retaining all of its workers at the affected stores was a priority.

“All impacted associates have been offered roles within the company,” Cunha said. “All associates have been reassigned, and many have already started at their new locations. We’re in the process of welcoming them aboard into their new roles and we have an ‘associate appreciation day’ planned to celebrate our team, once everyone has settled into their new home stores.”

Cunha said there are no other planned store closures at this time.

“Stop & Shop has always reviewed the business performance of its portfolio of stores on a regular basis and will continue to do so going forward. We’re also going to continue to invest in updating our store fleet to ensure we’re delivering a great customer experience across all our locations,” she said.

Angelica J. Gianchandani, marketing and public relations adjunct instructor at New York University, said Stop & Shop is a well-established brand with a large footprint, strong brand recognition and customer loyalty in the region.

“The brand has built trust among consumers, particularly in local communities where convenience and familiarity play crucial roles in shopping habits,” Gianchandani said. “The future success of Stop & Shop will depend on its ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences, particularly the shift toward online grocery shopping, demand for healthier and sustainable products and enhanced shopping experiences.”

Gianchandani said that Amazon and Walmart have set the bar for e-commerce and home delivery services.

“While the company has made strides in these areas, there is still room for further growth to compete with these more aggressive competitors that offer tech-enabled convenience,” Gianchandani said.

Gianchandani said Stop & Shop’s position as the largest grocery chain in Connecticut gives it significant market power, but maintaining that leadership requires continual innovation and adaptation.

“To secure future growth, Stop & Shop must further embrace digital transformation, improve in-store experiences and enhance sustainability initiatives,” Gianchandani said. “The store closures may signal necessary recalibration, but the company must ensure that it maintains customer loyalty by balancing operational efficiency with consumer needs.”