43-year-old grocery chain to close stores less than a year after opening

After 43 years since opening its first specialty grocery store in North Carolina, one business has grown into a nationwide chain. But like many retailers navigating today's challenging environment, it has not escaped the wave of mass closures affecting the sector.

Less than a year after opening new locations in Naperville, Illinois, and Framingham, Massachusetts, The Fresh Market will soon permanently close both of these locations.

Despite these closures, the grocery chain continues to pursue expansion. The Fresh Market plans to open four new stores, two by the end of 2025 and another two in early 2026, bringing its footprint beyond the 172 stores it currently operates across 22 states.

While simultaneously closing and opening stores may seem contradictory, The Fresh Market sees these moves as part of a strategic reassessment of its store portfolio, aimed at aligning operations with long-term growth goals.The Fresh Market is set to close two locations less than a year after opening them. Shutterstock

The Fresh Market unexpectedly closes two locations

The Naperville store, located at 204 South Route 59, opened in November 2024 as The Fresh Market's 164th location. According to a WARN notice, its closure will impact 47 employees.

Once the store shuts down, Illinois will be left with seven locations, but none are nearby. Most in the state are about an hour's drive away, and the closest is over 30 minutes by car.

Related: 111-year-old grocery store chain announces major closures in 4 states

The Framingham store at 84 Worcester Road opened a month later, in December 2024, in the former Bed Bath & Beyond space, which closed in 2020 before the company filed for bankruptcy in 2023.

The WARN notice states that 50 employees will be affected by the closure, expected before December 14 or once the remaining inventory is sold out during the 25% off sale on most items. Afterward, only two Fresh Market stores will remain in Massachusetts, both over 40 minutes apart.

These closures not only reduce The Fresh Market's visibility in the affected areas but may also limit choices and access to essential goods for loyal customers, leading them to shop online instead.

“Inflation and a growing preference among consumers to shop online to find the cheapest deals took a toll on brick-and-mortar retailers in 2024,” said Coresight CEO Deborah Weinswig in a statement.

Fresh Market store closures are part of a broader retail trend

The Fresh Market's closures are part of a larger trend affecting the national retail sector. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty, shifting consumer habits, and trade pressures, many retailers are downsizing or reallocating resources to more profitable areas.

Story Continues

Coresight Research projects that the number of U.S. store closures will reach 15,000 in 2025, more than double the 7,325 closures recorded in 2024.

As of January 17, 2025, over 2,000 planned closures had been tracked, with major U.S. retailers announcing 29.6% fewer openings and 334.3% more closures than during the same period the prior year.

Even industry giants are following a similar business move by reassessing their footprints and conducting layoffs.

Walmart (WMT) will close a store and pharmacy at 1900 South 314th Street in Federal Way, Washington, on October 31, affecting around 250 employees. Starbucks (SBUX) plans to cut about 900 corporate positions and reduce its North American footprint by roughly 1% in fiscal 2025.

Related: 85-year-old grocery store chain closure causes major problem

This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Retail section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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