Cortland Grand Union to Close – Company Cites Store Performance as Reason

C&S Wholesale Grocers, the parent company of Grand Union, has confirmed to X101 News that its Cortland store at 3932 Route 281 will close. The company refused to say how many jobs will be affected.

The closure comes after C&S declined to confirm in April that the store was closing, following the closure of several other Grand Union locations across New York.

Lauren La Bruno, C&S’s Senior Vice President of Communications and Marketing, told X101 News that the decision to close the Cortland store followed a thorough review of several factors, including the store’s performance and current market conditions.

“It is never an easy decision to close stores, and every opportunity is thoroughly explored before a final decision is made. We remain committed to satisfying our customers’ needs to the fullest and are dedicated to taking the necessary actions to achieve our overall strategic priorities that drive our long-term growth,” La Bruno said.

The Cortland store opened in 2022 in the former Tops Friendly Markets location following Tops’ merger with Price Chopper. As part of the merger, the Federal Trade Commission required the companies to divest certain stores over concerns about reduced competition.

Regulators determined that maintaining both a Tops and Price Chopper location in Cortland could limit consumer choice, resulting in the store being sold to C&S. The company subsequently revived the Grand Union brand and reopened the location just days after Tops closed.

The Cortland location is expected to close by the end of the year. Once it closes, Grand Union will be down to just four locations, compared with the 11 locations the company originally operated. X101 News has asked if the company plans to keep the remaining stores open.

New store hours will take effect September 13 and remain in place until the store officially closes. The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.