More on Johnnie's Foodmaster

[theorangebird.livejournal.com]

Similar to what others mentioned last week, Boston.com reports that the Alewife Brook Parkway location will close by the end of the month, if not before Thanksgiving.  Additionally - and sadly -  the employees were informed that they will not receive severance pay.

Also, the article mentions that "the letter to employees says that the Alewife Foodmaster location is expecting to complete a transfer or sale".  Let the speculation begin; I gather that it won't be transformed into a burrito/froyo megaplex?

Comments

[emcicle.livejournal.com]

I went shopping there on Sunday and the checkout girl told me their last day was Nov. 19th. Also, the place already looked like a ghost town, lots of empty shelves and things not restocked.

[thespian.livejournal.com]

that was what I was told. I sat down and was talking with a woman there who has worked there 22 years.

[ron_newman]

I visited the Alewife store last night. Shelves and coolers are at least half empty now, and almost no produce remained. The employees there are so nice; they don't deserve this in any way.

ETA 11/15: Looks like the last day of business is going to be Saturday 11/17.

[squirrelitude]

My understanding was that Stop & Shop is taking over the Foodmasters that Whole Foods isn't buying.

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Incorrect. Stop & Shop will only take over one of the Foodmasters that Whole Foods isn't buying - the one in Medford on the corner of Salem Street and the Fellsway. Three of the Foodmasters, including the one on Alewife/Broadway, will be closing with noone taking over the lease. at least that is the info as of a couple of days ago. Did you hear something new?

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is what I understand.

What a bummer. Johnnie's, while run-down, is our closest non-Whole-Foods supermarket. Now where are we going to go for our Diet Coke and Life Cereal?

[ron_newman]

I recall you used to have another Johnnie's much closer, and it turned into a Rite Aid.

[ron_newman]

Where did you hear this?

[squirrelitude]

Here, but the comments turn out to contradict the post.

[derekp.livejournal.com]

Trader Joe's!

[veek.livejournal.com]

No severance pay? That's low.

[sandrylene.livejournal.com]

For serious! Everything I hear about this just makes me more bummed out for the folks who work there. No severance pay, no more notice than the general public got, it seems, and doing it right before the holiday season.

That just seems like a terrible way to end one's run as a business owner. Maybe there are mitigating circumstances involved, but as yet I sure as heck haven't heard any.

[josephineave.livejournal.com]

I'm a little surprised the WARN Act doesn't apply:

http://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/warn.htm