After confirming that it would be closing three big stores, another huge grocery chain now says it will be closing even more stores.
Alex Lee Retail, which owns Lowes Foods and KJ’s Market and competes with Whole Foods, has said it will close three of its shops by the end of August.
The move to close two new Lowes Foods stores this year will affect a total of three in North Carolina: one in Wilmington and a large store in Raleigh.
It also has a Kj’s Market in South Carolina’s Moncks Corner.
Tim Lowe, President of Lowes and Head of Retail at Alex Lee, said in a press release on Tuesday that the company is working to find jobs at other stores “where possible” for workers who will be affected by the closings.
There were no specific reasons given for closing these locations, but Lowe did say that the choice was part of a “broader growth strategy.”
Alex Lee is still planning to open new stores and fix up old ones, even though some stores are closing.
Two KJ’s Markets in Florence, South Carolina, were recently updated by the company. In the next few months, they plan to update a Kj’s Market on Kelley Street in Lake City, South Carolina.
The outlet says that Lowes Foods, which runs more than 80 stores in the Carolinas, is continuing to grow.
The company also added a new store on Thursday in Aiken, South Carolina. This is its first location in the Augusta, Georgia, metropolitan area.
Even though the company is closing shops, new ones are coming soon in Indian Land and Lexington, South Carolina, as well as Concord, Kannapolis, and Waxhaw, North Carolina.
The grocery store chain opened shops in Winterville and Pittsboro, North Carolina, earlier this year.
Lowe said in the statement, “Alex Lee Retail is deeply committed to providing an exceptional shopping experience for our guests. We are excited about the future of Lowes Foods, Kj’s Market, and our IGA locations as we continue to invest and build for future growth.”
