More Closings Imminent at Marsh

Midwestern grocery chain Marsh Supermarkets is rapidly approaching a point of no return, warning of more store closures and related job cuts unless the embattled retailer finds a buyer.

More stores will close within two months unless the Indianapolis-based company can find buyers or business partners, Marsh officials said in a letter to Indiana state officials this week, the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) reported.

In addition to 19 stores expected to close by the end of May, Marsh has pinpointed 16 more stores for closure, including 11 in the Indianapolis metropolitan area, two of them in the downtown area that were expected to serve thousands of new apartment units opening soon. The closures would would eliminate 1,454 full- and part-time jobs, IBJ reported.

“The company is currently seeking buyers or business partners that would allow our locations to continue operations and avoid closures,” Marsh said in its letter to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. “If the company is unsuccessful in its efforts the company will be forced to permanently close the locations identified on the enclosed list and terminate employees at those locations in 60 days from the date of this notice or sooner.”

Boca Raton, Fla.-based Sun Capital Partners, which owns Marsh Supermarkets, is reportedly seeking a buyer for the chain’s remaining stores. By the end of the month, Marsh will have 45 stores, down from 120 in 2006, when Sun acquired the company.

The closings come on the heels of Marsh closing all of its 37 in-store pharmacies and selling the  prescription accounts to CVS. Under Indiana state law, the pharmacy closures will prevent Marsh stores from selling hard liquor.