UPDATED at noon with alderman's reaction
Schnuck Markets Inc. said today it will not renew the lease on its store at Grand Boulevard and Kossuth Avenue.
The store, at 4127 North Grand, will close permanently at 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 10.
All 65 employees will be transferred to nearby Schnucks stores, the company said.
The 28,000-square-foot store has consistently operated in the red since it was purchased as part of the 1995 acquisition of the National stores in St. Louis, said Todd Schnuck, president and CEO of Schnucks.
“Closing any store is a difficult decision particularly when we have invested so substantially in the 45-year-old facility, including a $200,000 pharmacy remodel just one year ago," Schnuck said in a statement. "Nothing we’ve done has helped improve the store’s performance.”
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Alderman Freeman Bosley Sr., who represents the area around the store, was sharply critical of the closing.
"That's really hurtful to that community," Bosley said. "That store is always crowded with people. But they know that the poor people in that area are going to come wherever they go."
Bosley added: "What they need to do is build another damned store up there."
"These people are trapped and they have nowhere else to go," Bosley said. "That's one of the highest margin of food stamp users in the city of St. Louis."
Schnucks operates eight other stores within the city limits of St. Louis, but the North Grand store is one of only two Schnucks stores in north St. Louis. The other north city location, at 3431 Union, is about three miles away.
“In this particular location, we are challenged by lack of population growth and the opportunity to attract new customers,” Schnuck said. “We thank our customers and community partners for their support over the years and we will continue to look for more ways in which to deliver needed services to our customers in St. Louis City.”
Save-A-Lot has several locations in north St. Louis and ALDI has two.
Other area grocers, such as Dierbergs Markets, Straub's and Walmart, do not operate north city.
Nicholas Pistor of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Editor's note: Corrects an earlier version that listed Shop 'n Save among grocery chains in north city. Shop 'n Save has a pharmacy.