Stop & Shops closing highlights the pain of losing ‘your’ store

Stop & Shop shoppers in two more New Jersey towns are about to lose their neighborhood supermarket.

This follows a broader contraction of the brand’s footprint back in 2024. That one left 47 New Jersey locations.

The grocery chain has announced it will permanently close its stores in Basking Ridge and Westfield sometime this fall. Read more here. 

Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

It’s always a big deal when the place you’re used to goes away. Even beyond the many reasons we have for choosing one grocery store over another, simply knowing where everything is makes the weekly chore less daunting.

When you know a store’s layout like the back of your hand, you can bang out the task quickly, almost in a sleepwalking state.

bunch of vegetables

This happened to me years ago when they closed down the Super Fresh in Plainsboro. Not fun. Getting used to a new store? Fuggetaboutit.

When you’re trying to learn a new store’s layout the only song that should be piped in is The Doors’ “People Are Strange.” It’s downright disorienting.

Once I moved to Hunterdon County, I tried shopping the Wegmans on 202 South, and while a great store, it was one of the more confusing layouts. Nothing felt intuitive, but I’m sure I just didn’t give it enough of a chance.

Sergei Novak

How do you choose your go-to grocery store anyway?

If there are options, is it by price? Your Aldis and Lidls certainly have passionate fans. Or is it something more nuanced?

When I lived in Flemington, I settled on a Stop & Shop for a possibly odd reason. It was less crowded and the aisles were wider than the ShopRite.

I just didn’t care for the chaos and was willing to pay a bit more for that. The parking was also less hectic.

However you choose your go-to grocery store, I hope it stays open for you for many years to come.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

Report a correction 👈