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Hart's Local Grocers, which opened with great enthusiasm for another supermarket in downtown Rochester a little over four and a half years ago, is closing.
Glenn Kellogg, president of Hart's, has announced that he will close the doors of the Winthrop Street market on March 24th.
He said that they had opened their doors with "great optimism" in the summer of 2014 and that new developments in the region were hoping for success.
Kellogg said it made changes last year to streamline its operations and that the past year had been the most profitable. But he added that the drop in sales had prevented them from making ends meet.
Kellogg stated that Hart had also sought a new owner-operator, but had not named anyone.
Hart plans to hold a closing sale the week of March 18th.
Representatives of local business organizations, including Heidi Zimmer Meyer of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, tell Hart's creators how creative they are in trying to offer a unique grocery experience.
Rochester Downtown Development Corporation President Heidi Zimmer-Meyer said it was a disappointing news and that she hoped Hart could have hung on for about a year after the completion of nearby development work.
"The filling of the entire inner loop is now loose; four development projects and a fifth which is also bearing fruit, and they would have placed a lot of people a few blocks from this site, "Zimmer-Meyer told WXXI News.
The President and CEO of Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Bob Duffy, also hopes that another company will eventually move into the space occupied by Hart's.
"All these apartments and condos, you have a world-class restaurant entering the old 2Vine right next door, I think someone's going to come in, hopefully go there with the thought of a grocery store, try to fill that void, in order to save people driving places, they can walk and get what they need, "Duffy said.
Agathi Graham operates The Arbor Loft, which provides an upstairs event space above Hart's.
She was saddened to learn that business will close.
"We eat a lot, so we eat all the time there and hang around with everyone, but we did not expect that … it's unfortunate." I guess overall, that's Was a surprise? " They compete with Wegmans, of course not, but you encourage them because they are such wonderful people, "said Graham.
Graham says the Arbor loft will continue to operate in this space above the Hart's location as well as at its other location, Arbor at the Port.
Justin Roj, a spokesman for the city of Rochester issued this statement:
"The City has worked with Hart and his government partners to bring the grocer to our community, and we are disappointed to learn about it. As a result of the Inner Loop East project, many developments are flourishing in the East End, including Charlotte Square, the expanded Museum Strong and the new Redd Rochester restaurant. We remain excited about the future of the downtown core and the ongoing investments in our community.. "
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