An unexpected grocery store in Tennessee now closes, leaving the community in fear as the shutter has created a ‘food desert’.
Residents of Chattanooga, Tennessee, still reeling from the loss of their local Walgreens earlier this year, have now spoken out about the loss of a Food City store.
The grocery store has been serving locals for decades but was officially closed for business on Monday evening.
While closures of stores can be frustrating for some, for others it can leave them feeling stranded.
A new Food City store is opening in downtown Chattanooga on June 12.
However, for regulars of the shuttered location, this is a 10-minute drive away.
This poses a challenge for those without a vehicle or with disabilities and other logistical or economic setbacks, reports The-Sun.
“I don’t feel too good about it,” resident Jesse Mills told Local 3 News.
Mills has been a customer of the store for over two decades.
“I am a disabled veteran myself, and it makes it hard for myself and others, especially for the elders like me to get around and to purchase our needs,” he said.
Similar comments have been made on Facebook after some locals accused others of being dismissive of people’s struggles.
It comes as some argued that the closure is not an issue with a new store opening two miles away.
“A 2-mile walk is a lot for an older person, a disabled person, or someone with children,” one resident wrote.
“I have found myself depending on groceries at that very store.
“I can’t imagine how many are going to go hungry now.”
“Walk 2 miles in the shoes of the people this affects and then make your comment,” another said.
“It really amazes me how unempathetic we have become as a society.”
“Not everyone in that area has transportation and some are older people. Hopefully, they can find a way to the new location,” a third wrote.
Jeannine Carpenter from the Chattanooga Area Food Bank revealed that the latest closure means the area is in even more trouble than it was before in terms of being a food desert.
“It’s in a high-density, relatively low-income area of the city.
You have people who are living on fixed incomes, who more often than not, depend on shared transportation or public transportation.
So, it was an easy-to-access location,” she told the news outlet.
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Also Read: An Unexpected Retailer Is Now Closing All Stores in Illinois
Other Economy News Today
An unexpected restaurant now abruptly closes 7 locations in one state after revealing plans to shutter a total of 36.
TGI Fridays is closing a total of seven restaurants in one state as part of the company’s ongoing growth strategy.
This comes after the chain abruptly closed 36 locations across 12 states in at the beginning of the year, per The-Sun.
The restaurant chain will pull the plug on seven locations across the state of New Jersey in the coming weeks.
Today, Fridays will welcome in famished diners at its location in Brick for the final time.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Weldon Spangler, CEO of TGI Fridays earlier this week.
“We are at the helm of a pivotal moment that will allow us to explore boundless advancement, expansion, and innovation to keep delivering ‘That Fridays Feeling’ that our fans know and love.”
Before the closures, TGI Fridays had about 270 US locations, according to the company’s website.
“As part of the store closures, TGI Fridays is offering more than 1,000 transfer opportunities, which represents over 80% of total impacted employees,” the company previously said in a statement.
“Our top priority has always been delivering a superior experience for each and every TGI Fridays guest, and we’ve identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet – and exceed – on that brand promise,” said Ray Risley, US president and chief operating officer, in the release.
Eight other locations were sold to former CEO Ray Blanchette, a longtime stakeholder who will acquire the previously corporate-owned restaurants.
The sale comes as major changes have been made to the brand’s leadership, including the news of Weldon Spangler being made CEO.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Spangler in a statement.
Also Read: Retirees Will Now Receive More Money For Social Security
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