Large, good grocery chain may close.

[CathyA]

Here in Indiana, Marsh supermarkets have always been very good. The one I like to go to just did a big remodeling job. In just a few weeks, they went from saying they were closing some stores, to now (if they can't find a buyer by July), will close all of them. Unfortunately, quite a few of their stores are in poorer areas where people who have no good transportation will have no other options.

As I go through various grocery stores, I see that they have endless selections of everything. I see huge amounts of produce that gets thrown out. I think some of the problem is that stores think they have to have tons of selections of the same product and every product in the world available.

Unfortunately, if a chain of stores really cut back on what they sold, they probably wouldn't last long.

What's the answer? We as Americans think we have the "right" to have a huge selection of everything.........cars, food, clothing, hardware, etc., etc., etc., but I wonder if that is unsustainable?
How could Marsh have had so many stores and remodel some of them recently, and now they might have to close them all? It's sad, the number of people who will lose their jobs....and all of them will be trying to find work in the same industry. It's sad.

[early morning]

Oh no, I hadn't heard this - I was just at our local Marsh yesterday!! I like them. I mostly shop at ALDI, but they're my second go-to. The one here at least is fairly small, in an older neighborhood I pass through on my way home from work. We have no county transportation, and lots of people walk there for groceries. The only other food stores in that town are HUGE and are at least five miles away.

[JaneV2.0]

Perhaps we will evolve to have many specialty stores, discounters, and on-line shopping, and/or more mega-stores like Target. In some ways. more like Europe. Being as spread out as most of us are though, that might be difficult.

[sweetana3]

Grocery stores are hard to maintain and low profit margins. Marsh was also involved with a hedge firm I think that has been involved in other such closings.

Huge pension liability and there is not enough money apparently to pay rent for July on leased premises. Indps Business Journal said that is why the June date is important. They have hired a firm or sold a portion of the company to get help locating a buyer and are in negotiations. They may break up and sell in a variety of groupings or, if it fails, close all and fire sale contents. The Journal has some great articles about this. www.ibj.com.

Indianapolis has too much competition for the grocery $$ with huge stores all around the city, if you have transportation. I am sure the new Meijer on Keystone is damaging Kroger and Marsh just north of them. Aldi very near them will probably still stick around because it is pretty unique and has great prices all the time.