Stop & Shop’s bfresh concept store on Needham Street will close on Aug. 29, 2024 (photo: Theo Younkin)
Stop & Shop’s Needham Street location is slated to close permanently on Thursday, August 29.
The closure comes as part of a larger move by the supermarket chain to close 32 of its stores across the five states in which it operates: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.
The Needham Street location was a part of the company’s bfresh Market initiative, which operated select stores on a smaller, urban scale – a model that deviates from the Stop & Shop standard. The store opened in December, 2018 – the first bfresh store in Massachusetts – creating 100 new jobs, according to Stop & Shop. The bfresh model highlighted fresh, local produce; in-store experiences like a smoker and a kombucha fountain; more grab-and-go options; mobile payments; and curbside pickup.
In a statement to Fig City News, Stop & Shop spokesperson Stephanie Cunha said that challenges stemming from the bfresh model led to the store’s closure.
“Based on our business model, we have decided that we will no longer support bfresh stores. Both of the stores that were remaining in this portfolio were included in our store closure announcement last month,” she said.
President of Stop & Shop Gordon Reid said in a statement that for those who continue to shop with the company, the closures will result in significant improvements to their shopping experience.
“Stop & Shop is focused on growing through large, multi-year price investments and a stronger customer value proposition, both in-store and online,” he said. “This means we’ll be focused on delivering lower everyday prices, as well as even more savings for our customers through strong promotions.”
For many regular customers, however, the closure of the Needham Street store promises to be a major inconvenience.
Lynn May has been shopping at the Needham Street location…