Green Aisle Grocery Shutting Down

Green Aisle Grocery, a small chain in South Philadelphia, is shutting down operations effective Jan. 31.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Green Aisle, which opened at 1618 E. Passyunk Ave. in late 2009 and expanded to 2241 Grays Ferry Ave. in mid-2014, just couldn't compete with larger grocery chains that have expanded their specialty offerings. The stores are owned by brothers Adam and Andrew Erace. They provided the following statement to the Inquirer:

“When we started, agave nectar was considered a specialty ingredient and Walmart grass-fed beef didn’t exist. The increased availability of this kind of food is a very good thing, and we like to think we played a very small role in that, but it’s also made it harder to sustain our tiny shops in the face of well-funded corporate competition. This is especially apparent at our Grays Ferry Avenue location, where we now exist between a Giant and an Amazon depot.”

The Eraces told the Inquirer they will convert their product line of small-batch preserves, notably organic pistachio butter, into its own business.