Last of local Martin’s stores to close this summer

The above map shows the 10 stores that will become Publix in red, and the closing nine in green.

The fate of one of the largest casualties of the Greater Richmond grocery war has been sealed.

Martin’s Food Markets on Wednesday formally announced closing dates for its nine remaining stores in the Richmond area that aren’t being converted into Publix stores as a result of a massive European merger-fueled deal.

The closures will come in two waves this summer. On July 10, the Martin’s stores at Chesterfield Meadows, Chippenham Crossing Center, Chesterfield Towne Center and Monticello Marketplace will close.

The remaining stores at the Shops at Stratford Hills, Brook Run Shopping Center, Charter Colony Shopping Center, Bermuda Square and North Ashland Plaza Shopping Center will close Aug. 2.

The closures will bring an end to Martin’s brief history in Richmond. Based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the chain entered the local market in 2010 after it acquired Ukrop’s supermarkets for $140 million.

These last nine locations are those that weren’t chosen last year by Florida-based Publix, which purchased 10 areas Martin’s stores as part of an anti-trust sell-off that resulted from the merger of the parent companies of Food Lion and Martin’s.

Martin’s at Stony Point Shopping Center. (BizSense file photo)

Broker Jim Ashby of Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer manages leasing for a few of the soon-to-be-vacant Martin’s boxes. He said the ultimate goal is to find other grocers to replace them.

“A lot of grocers are waiting to see what impact Publix has on the Richmond market,” Ashby said.

Publix has disclosed only that it will open its Richmond stores in 2018, and renovations on some of the former Martin’s stores have begun.

Another former Martin’s storefront that closed prior to the Publix deal already is being used: Goldfish Swim School leased part of the former Martin’s at Gayton Crossing shopping center. It will be joined in the 38,000-square-foot building by a to-be-announced national gym brand.

Martin’s departure lines up with German grocer Lidl’s planned arrival in Richmond. Lidl has snatched up seven pieces of property around town, and plans to open all seven stores simultaneously this summer.