NORWICH — Norwich residents will soon find the convenience of neighborhood grocery shopping coming to an end when Grand Union in downtown Norwich, located at 54 Main Street, shutters its' doors at the end of February, leaving nearby shoppers in a quandary.

Grand Union, under the ownership of C&S Wholesale Grocers declined an interview but Lauren La Bruno, C&S Wholesale Grocers Senior Vice President, Communications and Marketing provided the following statement:

“I can confirm that 4 East Main Street, Norwich, New York 13815 is closing. It is a long-standing practice of C&S Wholesale Grocers not to comment on questions concerning structure changes,” she said. “However, I can tell you that C&S continuously looks for ways to create value for our customers and accelerate our ability to deliver best-in-class services.

“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.”

One Grand Union employee who wished to remain anonymous and stated concerns over the store closing.

"We were told our last day is February 28," said the employee. "I'll be fine, but I can't help to wonder what will happen to the employees that have worked for the company more than 30 years and also how will the elderly find transportation to another grocery store."

Four years ago, C&S Wholesale Grocers replaced Tops Market with Grand Union in Chenango County. The grocery store offered red dot savings, weekly specials and spacious shopping isles filled with an abundance of food and sundry items.