Bay Hills' Superfresh Closes

Denise Holland, of Mago Vista, walked into Superfresh in Arnold on Wednesday to pick up a few items only to discover bare shelves and store closing signs posted all around.

“I didn’t even know the store was closing,” Holland said. “I don’t always shop here, but it is the quickest and most convenient place to come and pick up something when I need it. It would definitely impact me if there weren’t a (grocery) store here. I think we need a grocery store in this location.”

A few customers could be found scouring what remained on the shelves, much of which was discounted between 20 percent and 80 percent. The salad bar, fresh meats and other produce were gone. The milk “sell by” date on the remaining gallons will outlive the store itself.

At 6 pm today the lights at Superfresh at College Parkway Center in Bay Hills go dark for the last time.

Plans call for a Mrs. Green’s Natural Market to replace the former Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P)-owned Superfresh. Mrs. Green’s Management Company is a Larchmont, N.Y.-based division of Toronto-based Natural Market Restaurants Corp. The exact format of the new store is undetermined.

At the same time, management of College Parkway Center, turns over tomorrow to Columbia-based-based Manekin. The current management company, Rudder Management of Glen Burnie, is going out of business today. The shopping center is owned by a partnership called Broadneck Development Corp.

“Mrs. Green’s will be coming into the Arnold location, but there is no timetable,” said a Manekin representative. “The project is on hold right now, but it will definitely happen.”

Reports call for the organic grocer to renovate the 33,600 square foot space. Coming into the former Superfresh stores is the company first foray into Maryland.

A bankruptcy court judge earlier this month approved selling 12 Superfresh stores, all in the Baltimore-Washington metro region. Ten of the stores, including the Arnold location, were sold to a joint venture between Mrs. Green’s Management Corp. and Village Super Market, Inc. A Superfresh in Ellicott City was sold to SuperValu, which is converting the grocery store into Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. The store in Westminster will be sold to its landlord, Englar Center Limited Partnership.

Twenty-two total Superfresh stores are being sold or closed which impact nearly 1,500 jobs.

Arnold store manager Frank Sterling was walking the aisles Wednesday while a number of employees consolidated merchandise and cleaned shelves. He would not comment on whether he or any other employees would have jobs with the new venture. According to Pat Repke who works in customer service and in the self-checkout area, there have been several rumors about what is happening and if there will be jobs for current employees.

“I don’t know yet if we will have jobs,” she said. “I live five miles from here and it would be really convenient if I could still work here.” Repke started at the store six years ago as a cashier.