Another blow for NJ shoppers as Stop & Shop closes two more local stores

💲Stop & Shop will close stores in Basking Ridge and Westfield

💲Both locations will remain open until sometime in the fall

💲Workers can seek transfers to nearby stores

New Jersey is about to lose two more grocery stores due to economics.

Stop & Shop will close its stores on South Finley Avenue in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards and Elm Street in Westfield, according to spokesperson Jennifer Brogan.  The "difficult decision" about the Bernards store was made after a "routine evaluation of our store operations."

Bernards Township Committeewoman Ana Duarte McCarthy said the chain's lease at the Lyons Mall is up in October. A new tenant is preparing a plan for the space, according to McCarthy, who did not disclose the name of the potential new occupant.
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The store first opened in 1970 as a Grand Union, according to The Bernardsville News. Stop & Shop took over the store in 2001 when Grand Union went bankrupt.

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Stop & Shop in Westfield

Westfield Stop & Shop will also close this fall

Brogan said a separate evaluation led to the decision to close the Westfield location but did not disclose a closing date or any job opportunities for current workers.

According to MarketReportBlog.com, the small 20,000-square-foot store opened as a Mayfield Foodtown and was taken over by Edwards before becoming a Stop & Shop.

Westfield Mayor Jeremy Berman said that the store's property was sold during the first quarter of the year.

"Historically, the new owners have been recognized for acquiring, repositioning, and re-tenanting commercial properties—not as residential developers. We expect they will pursue a similar approach with this property," Berman said.

Stop & Shop will operate both stores until fall. Workers will have the chance to transfer to other nearby stores.

The Massachusetts-based chain closed ten stores in New Jersey in 2024.  It also closed one of its Toms River stores earlier this year.

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