WORCESTER — "Heartbreaking" was the first word that came to Amy Pagan's mind when asked about the upcoming closing of the Stop & Shop at Lincoln Plaza.
"It's such a good store and one of the better markets in the area," Pagan of Worcester said from inside her car at the Stop & Shop parking lot.
On Friday, Stop & Shop released a list of 32 stores it is planning to close this year , including eight Massachusetts stores.
The Lincoln Plaza Stop & Shop at 545 Lincoln St. and the Shrewsbury Stop & Shop at 539-571 Boston Turnpike are among the locations that will close.
All the affected stores will close by Nov. 2.
Late Friday morning, the Stop & Shop parking lot had plenty of open spots, but that may not capture the full breadth of the store's customer base. Customers outside of the store said its location allows those without a car to walk over and get groceries.
The Lincoln Plaza area is a working-class portion of the city where residents and the city have made efforts to change the perception of safety in the neighborhood. The Stop & Shop is also a roughly five-minute drive from the working-class Great Brook Valley neighborhood.
While groceries can be found at the nearby Target at 529 Lincoln St. and the Aldi at 500 Lincoln St., customers said those stores do not have as consistent and varied a selection of produce and other items.
Pagan said the Stop & Shop was always clean with reasonable prices and good coupons.
She expects shopping will now involve a longer commute as she finds a new store to go to.
"It stinks for people who don't drive," Carol Gagnon of Worcester said.
Gagnon said she used to walk to the Stop & Shop and knows others who do as well.
While she also shops at the Aldi and a nearby Dollar Tree, she said Stop & Shop was best for items such as cat food and water. She expects having to go somewhere farther away for items most easily available at Stop & Shop.
Allyssa Watson of Worcester who goes to the Shop & Stop around once a week, said the closing felt unexpected and with short notice for customers.
"This is in a really convenient location," Watson said.
Mason Natusch lives in Lincoln Village Apartments and does not have a car. He said he learned about the closing when he bought lottery tickets Friday.
Natusch said his household can only budget a monthly grocery trip. He has a 2-year-old child and said the Stop & Shop is the best market for diapers in the city. His partner also has her bank at the store.
In May, Stop & Shop's parent company, Dutch-based Ahold Delhaize , announced it would close underperforming locations. Ahold Delhaize executives said the company would be taking into account brand density, the position each store holds in the market and how well it performs.
“Stop & Shop is proud of the deep roots and community ties we have developed as a neighborhood grocer of more than 100 years, and we remain committed to nourishing our associates, customers and communities,” Gordon Reid, president of Stop & Shop, said in a press release. “As we announced in May, Stop & Shop has evaluated its overall store portfolio and made the difficult decision to close underperforming stores to create a healthy base for the future growth of our brand.”
The specific closing dates for each store will be communicated to customers later, according to the press release.
The Worcester locations at 940 West Boylston St. and 949 Grafton St will remain open.
Along with the Lincoln Plaza and Shrewsbury locations, the following Stop & Shop locations are set to close in Massachusetts:
- Brockton: 932 North Montello St.
- Raynham: 36 New State Highway
- Halifax: 341 Plymouth St.
- Newton (bfresh Market): 165 Needham St.
- Springfield: 415 Cooley St. (1600 Boston Rd. and 1277 Liberty St., Springfield will remain open)
- Pembroke: 24 Mattakeesett St. ( 125 Church St., Pembroke will remain open )
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Customers surprised, saddened to learn Worcester Stop & Shop is set to close
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