Another grocery chain is shrinking its footprint, exiting some markets entirely and leaving some shoppers without a familiar place to buy their groceries.
For consumers who rely on a nearby supermarket for weekly shopping, the loss of a location can mean longer drives, fewer convenient options, or a search for a new store.
The closures come as grocery retailers continue to reassess their store portfolios while navigating changing shopping habits, rising costs, and pressure to improve efficiency.
Founded in 1982 in Greensboro, North Carolina, The Fresh Market grocery chain is known for its European-style market atmosphere. The supermarket brand, owned by Cencosud since 2022, currently operates more than 170 locations across 22 states.
The Fresh Market recent store closures
The Fresh Market has closed several locations nationwide since late 2025, including:
- Vienna, Virginia: The store at 150 Branch Road SE closed in late May 2026 after 15 years, FFXNow reported.
- Montvale, New Jersey: The location at 32 Chestnut Ridge Road closed in mid-April 2026 after 15 years, NJBIZ reported.
- Naperville, Illinois: The store at 204 S Route 59 closed in late 2025 after operating for less than a year, according to a WARN notice and my previous reporting on TheStreet.
- Framingham, Massachusetts: The location at 84 Worcester Road closed in late 2025 after operating for less than a year, according to my previous reporting on TheStreet.
The Vienna and Montvale closures followed the company’s decision not to renew the stores’ leases. The Naperville and Framingham locations were shuttered as part of a portfolio reassessment, in line with the company’s stated approach to aligning its operations with long-term growth goals, according to previous reporting by TheStreet.
For shoppers in those communities, the closures mean losing a nearby grocery store brand that may have been part of their regular shopping routine.
What’s behind The Fresh Market’s store closures
The closures come as The Fresh Market continues to report growth in parts of its business.
Cencosud reported a 12.3% year-over-year increase in The Fresh Market’s revenue during the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The grocery chain’s online sales also rose 18.6%, supported by a 12% climb in online transactions and strategic partnerships, according to the company’s latest earnings report.
The company said its strategy for The Fresh Market has focused on strengthening its customer value proposition through omnichannel capabilities, loyalty initiatives, and operational efficiency.
Cencosud management has also pointed to a more challenging operating environment, citing lower industry momentum, more discretionary consumers, and inflationary pressures affecting supply chains and logistics costs.
Grocery industry rivals are also closing stores
The Fresh Market is not the only supermarket company adjusting its store footprint. Several other grocery chains have also announced or completed store shutdowns in recent months.
Here’s some of my previous coverage of grocery store closures:
- Grocery Outlet: Closed 12 stores during the 13 weeks ended July 4, 2026, including nine locations tied to its Optimization Plan.
- Ahold Delhaize USA: Closed several stores in 2026 and late 2025.
- Brookshire Grocery Company: Closed four locations across Louisiana and Arkansas in July 2026.
The closures are part of a broader shift in the retail sector as companies evaluate their physical footprints amid changing consumer habits, economic uncertainty, and trade pressures.
Grocery visits declined 0.2% year over year in the latest measured period reported by Placer.ai, another indication of the pressure facing physical grocery locations.
At the same time, grocery sales were up 1.2% in 2025, although McKinsey & Company reported that the increase was driven by a 2.2% rise in prices while grocery volume fell 1%.
For consumers, the impact can be more tangible. When a familiar grocery store closes, shoppers may have fewer convenience options close to home, even as the broader grocery market continues to grow in dollar sales.
Related: 48-year-old mall chain closing more stores in 2026 reset
