West Winfield Grocery Store ‘Great American’ Is Closing

West Winfield customers are stunned to find their local grocery store, Great American, is closing.

West Winfield has had a grocery store since the 1960s starting with a Victory Market, but that's about to change as the Great American is closing for good on February 28, 2019.

West Winfield Great American store has been sold through a real estate broker, and there is currently a confidentiality agreement in effect until the closing says Brian from B-K Five. He said the 15 employees were aware that it was for sale and when asked about Dollar General opening there he said he didn't know if the new owners will sell or lease the property to them or not. Brian said they bought the store seven years ago with intentions of keeping it forever in the West Winfield Community.

The store has been steadily losing money for the last 2 years and we can't keep it going any longer. We should have closed the doors a couple of years ago. We love our customers but there's just not enough of them. We hate to leave West Winfield without a grocery store and we did reach out to other grocery markets but no one was interested in the property.

We asked Steve Chapple, General Manager of the West Winfield Great American, about the situation:

Obviously, I’m upset about it. I’ve been in this store for 26 years. The hardest day for me will be locking the door the last time. I’ve made a lot of friends in the area over the years. I would like to thank all of the customers who have shopped with us throughout those years. I’ve seen a lot of families grow in my time here. My employees and customers are family to me. I would like to wish all the best to them and their families. Thanks for the memories.

When asked about the Dollar General he said "If the rumors are true, they have what they call a dollar general market which sells frozen foods and fresh fruits and vegetables. Hopefully, that would be what they would do here."

Other businesses in the West Winfield community are asking what they can do to help.

We reached out to the West Winfield Mayor Andy Bryce for a statement, but we didn't hear back by the time we published this story.

B-K Five also owns the Great American in Sidney and there are no plans for closing or selling that store.