Shoppers Food & Pharmacy will close two unprofitable stores in Maryland on Friday.
The stores to be closed are at 11120 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills and 2430 Broad Ave. in Timonium. The grocery chain is also closing three stores in Virginia.
The closings come shortly after SuperFresh, whose parent company is operating under bankruptcy, also closed stores in Maryland.
"Given the competitive markets we operate in, and today's difficult economic environment, it is occasionally necessary to close those stores that are not profitable," Shoppers said in a statement.
"While the decision to close a store is always difficult — given the impact on associates and customers — these were made only after careful evaluation and were guided by what is best for Shoppers' long-term growth and success as a whole," the statement continued. "Now, more than ever, it is critical that we not lose focus on improving the business, attracting new customers and staying strong in this economy."