This Superfresh store in Hampden is one of 22 in Maryland that… (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene…)
May 25, 2011|By Andrea K. Walker, The Baltimore Sun
The owner of the Superfresh grocery chain said Wednesday that it will shut down 13 area stores in July because it can't find anyone to buy the properties.
Superfresh owner A&P, which is working its way through bankruptcy, said last month it was trying to sell 25 Superfresh stores, mostly in the Baltimore area. It announced earlier this week it had found buyers for 12 locations, and notified the bankruptcy court in New York on Wednesday. The company said it should generate more than $40 million from the sale of the stores.
Any sale would require the approval of a bankruptcy court.
Mrs. Green's Management Corp. and Village Super Market Inc. has agreed to buy 10 of the stores in a joint venture. They include stores on Charles Street and 41st Street in Baltimore, and others in Parkville, Arnold, White Oak, Lutherville-Timonium, Cambridge, Chestertown, Brunswick and Washington.
Village would convert the White Oak and Lutherville-Timonium locations into ShopRite stores. It would pay $6.6 million for the leases, fixtures and assets of those two locations, the company said in a news release.
Mrs. Green's Management Corp., an organic grocery chain based in upstate New York, would operate the remaining stores itself, according to A&P. Representatives of Mrs. Green's Management Corp. could not be reached for comment.
Supervalu has bid on the Superfresh store in Ellicott City, and would turn into a Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. The company declined to say how much it bid.
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc., based in Montvale, N.J., has said 1,500 workers would lose their jobs unless new owners decide to keep the current employees working at the 25 Superfresh stores. The company did not say how many workers are employed at the stores it plans to close.
All but two of the 24 Superfresh stores in Maryland — both in Ocean City — are for sale. The bulk of the workforce is in the Baltimore area, where 1,100 people at 16 stores face pink slips as part of the reorganization.
The prospective buyers have not said if they plan to keep current workers.
Superfresh has awarded the prescription customer lists of seven stores to three different bidders. Walgreens and Safeway each received three lists and CVS received one.
A&P expects the court will consider its motions on the proposed sales at a hearing on June 14.
The grocery company said it will shut down all the stores, both sold and unsold, in mid-July.
andrea.walker@baltsun.com
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