Supermarket Shuffle
The rumor that's been swirling around for months now was confirmed yesterday in the Register-Star: the Price Chopper in Greenport is closing. The family-owned, regional supermarket chain headquartered in Schenectady is closing the store on Fairview Avenue "because of the area's economic downturn." That's according to a spokesperson for the Golub Corporation Mona Golub.
The article notes that Price Chopper opened a store in Greenport forty years ago. That store was located in what is now Movieplex 8. Golub is quoted in the article as saying, "Back then that part of town was a good place to do business. Now, the population has decreased and the traffic has declined and other local retailers have either relocated or left the area." That strikes me as a rather curious perception. It's noted in the article that the current store, which opened about twenty years ago and which I've always considered too big, preferring the smaller and closer ShopRite, is "one of the company's smallest and older stores." I guess in the chain store business--be it supermarket or convenience store--bigger and newer are always better.
The rumor has a second part, which I seriously hope is not true: ShopRite, which is closer and more convenient for us Hudsonians, is moving to the current Price Chopper location. It seems to me, if Price Chopper is closing the store because of "the area's economic downturn," the decrease in population, and the decline in traffic, those same woes would beset ShopRite in that location, which in its present location seems to be a bustling and thriving concern.
COPYRIGHT 2018 CAROLE OSTERINK
I wondered the same thing. Why would Shop-Rite expect to do better in the former Price Chopper location, which is further from Hudson and set back from Fairview and out of sight?
ReplyDeleteI notice that Price Chopper has been up-scaling some of its stores, re-branding them as "Market." They are a huge improvement from the dreary 1970's style supermarkets.
The problem is most likely due to the reduced traffic for that shopping area since Walmart left. No Walmart, no Walmart shoppers to go to Price Chopper. And, to confound what I will call "the Walmart effect", in its new location Walmart is now a super-center with. So, no reason for the Walmart customers to leave and go back to Price Chopper to grocery shop.
ReplyDeleteThis "Walmart effect" was known about and discussed during the Widewaters development considerations. And, perhaps had Price Chopper not built the bigger store of its own in Chatham, this one in Greenport might be doing a bit better.
If there is a downturn economically in the area it is surely tied to bad decisions by all parties-- to let Walmart and Widewaters do what they wanted. Those decisions have lead to the closing of many locally owned stores and businesses along that stretch of Route 9 and it was all predicted by those who opposed that way too large shopping center up the road.
Elizabeth Nyland
I think the new Walmart which has groceries as well now is what has put Price Chopper out. This is not good news for the town though, and there certainly isn't an economic downturn in the area, maybe they've never gone into Hudson.
ReplyDeleteI thought Price Chopper was being bought out by ... the Hannaford Company
ReplyDeleteI am definitely glad to see so many compassionate comments concerned about job losses and the people losing their jobs, and their benefits and retirement packages.
ReplyDeleteBut then again, I'm certain they can all get tourism jobs that will pay equal wages, benefits, and stock options.
Susan