Grocery Chain To Close 2 Virginia Stores, 1 Other Sold

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Shoppers, a grocery store chain with 43 stores in Virginia, DC and Maryland, will close several stores in early 2020. Parent company United Natural Foods, Inc. announced the four upcoming closures, as well as the sale of 13 stores to other grocery operators.

The two Virginia stores closing are the Potomac Yard Shopping Center location at 3801 Richmond Highway in Alexandria and Bull Run Plaza location at 10864 Sudley Manor Drive in Manassas. The other locations shutting down are Baltimore and Severn in Maryland. Closures will happen by the end of January 2020.

United Natural Foods, Inc. chose not to renew leases at three of the stores and is cancelling the lease agreement at the fourth. The company opted to close the 30 Shoppers pharmacies inside stores earlier this year.

Among the 13 stores being sold is the Rolling Valley location at 9274 Old Keene Mill Road in Burke. The remaining 12 sales are in Maryland.

"Shoppers intends to wind down operations at these locations, including the sale of any remaining inventory and closure of the stores prior to reopening under other banners," stated a news release from United Natural Foods, Inc.

The grocery operators taking over the Shoppers stores have not been publicly announced. The sales of the 13 stores are expected to close between mid-December and the end of February 2020. According to a news release, two of the grocery operators buying stores will enter long-term agreements for United Natural Foods, Inc. to be the primary supplier.

Locations not named in the news release will remain open as the parent company tries to sell them. These include 7660 Richmond Highway in Hybla Valley; 7005 Manchester Boulevard in Kingstowne; 9409 Lorton Market Street in Lorton; 9622 Main Street in Fairfax; 4174 Fortuna Center Plaza in Dumfries and 1505 Stafford Market Place in Stafford.

United Natural Foods, Inc. bought Shoppers in 2018 and later announced intentions to sell stores, according to the Washington Post. A location in Seven Corners has already closed.