Belleville Pathmark Will Close As Supermarket Chain Files For Bankruptcy

The Belleville Pathmark on Belmont Avenue will be one of 25 stores closing since the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection Sunday, the second such filing for the Montvale-based supermarket chain.

The company announced the closing on its website but didn’t give a date for the action.

The 156-year-old company filed documents for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Sunday night with the United States bankruptcy court for the Southern District of New York, the company announced in a release.

A&P reportedly has three bids for the sale of 120 of its stores for $600 million; about 12,500 employees work at that those locations, USA Today reported.

Without the sales, A&P will have no choice but to liquidate their business and hold what’s called a “fire sale,” Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. chief restructuring officer Christopher McGarry said in the filing, USA Today quoted.

The company employs about 28,500 people, many of them New Jersey residents, and runs Pathmark, Food Basics, Superfresh, and Food Emporium stores.

“For the majority of our customers, we do not expect this to have any impact on your shopping experience,” according to a statement on the company’s website. “While some stores will close in the near-term, the vast majority will continue providing customers with the same high-quality products and exceptional customer service. We will also continue to honor all existing customer promotional and loyalty programs. Serving our customers has been and will continue to be our number-one priority.”