BATAVIA, NY (WKBW) — Batavia neighbors may need to look for their groceries elsewhere this weekend. The Save-A-Lot right in the heart of the city will close its doors permanently Saturday night.
- Batavia Save-A-Lot will close permanently tomorrow night.
- Residents are frustrated as it was one of the few grocery options in downtown Batavia.
- Many locals took to social media expressing the need for increased bus services due to the closure.
- Shoppers appreciated the convenience and affordability of the store.
- Community members express sadness and nostalgia over the store's closure.
With the chain being one of the only grocers in downtown Batavia, many neighbors say they are frustrated with the closure.
Lynette Basher works right next to the Save-A-Lot in Batavia. She tells 7 News it was the convenience of stopping and grabbing last-minute groceries that she will miss after the store closes for good on Saturday.
"It was like in the middle of the town and prices were good. The people were always nice when you came in here. The workers were awesome that work here," said Basher.
For Edward Graves, shopping here allowed him to get the most bang for his buck.
"That's the terrible part about losing something like this, now you have to pay for convenience," said Graves.
Every penny helps, according Nerd Wallet food prices have risen by 28% since 2019.
The location has been home to several supermarkets over the years. Save-A-Lot has occupied this space for about the past decade.
"It's sad just to see the stores you grew up with disappear slowly over the years, it's a shock to hear it's closing," said Jarrett Henderson.
The centrality of the store has a lot of residents concerned about their neighbors who do not have a car.
"A lot of residents that live in the area don't have vehicles or transportation to get to the stores at the other end of town, so it's convenient for them to come here. It's tragic for them to not have a place they can walk to," said Tom Williams, a Save-A-Lot shopper.
There are other options like the Tops on West Main but will take a someone walking half an hour and it is along a busy road. Aldi on East Main is more than a mile away and will take 30 minutes by foot.
This is the second Save-A-Lot to close in our area in recent weeks. The store on Aurora Street in Lancaster closed with little warning last month.
7 News Reporter Jaurdyn Johnson did reach out to the store owner but was told he had no comment.
The store closes on Saturday at 6 p.m.
