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Located in Bridgeport at 2145 Fairfield Ave., the store will close early next year, said Caroline Medeiros, a spokeswoman with Stop & Shop.
"Stop & Shop has made the difficult decision to terminate the lease for our store located at 2145 Fairfield Ave., in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as the store was not meeting financial expectations," Medeiros said.
All associates will be allowed to transfer to other Stop & Shop locations, she said.
A spokesman for M&T said the bank "has been forced to discontinue operations at our in-store branch which will close on Feb. 15, 2024."
The company is working to ensure that all employees will be transferred to another location.
"We remain committed to the West End and West Side and will continue to serve Bridgeport residents through our neighboring branches in the city,” the spokesman said.
The departure of Stop & Shop will not leave the area without a grocery store, said Bill Coleman, Brigeport's deputy director of the Office of Planning & Economic Development.
Coleman announced that Food Bazaar is planning to take over the space.
"It’s a positive on many fronts," Coleman said. "From a business development point of view, any time you have a business expand within your city, it’s confirmation that the company feels it’s being supported by the city and that they find the business climate to be conducive to growth."
Coleman said Food Bazaar has a reputation for hiring locally and for treating its employees well, providing health care and benefits.
"So these are good jobs," he added. "On the real estate front, this expansion testifies to the vibrancy of the area. With new multi-family development and new retail development nearby, the location is desirable; and this is a key location, next to the rooftops, right where people live."
Food Bazaar is known for tailoring the stores to the tastes and culinary traditions of the varied communities and ethnic groups within the city, Coleman said.
No news yet on when the Food Bazaar will open.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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