As part of an ongoing effort to improve its performance, Stop & Shop is closing another supermarket in New Jersey.

In a statement to NJBIZ, the Ahold Delhaize-owned chain said it plans to wind down its store in Westfield by early fall.

A company spokesperson said the “difficult decision” stemmed from “a routine evaluation of our store operations.” They added, “All associates will be given the opportunity to transfer to other Stop & Shop locations.”

It was not immediately clear how many employees work at the 26-year-old Westfield outpost.

Following the closure, Stop & Shop will have 46 locations in New Jersey. The grocer’s 350-store footprint also extends to Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. Since November 2024, the Massachusetts-based chain has closed about three dozen underperforming locations. Within New Jersey, 11 stores have gone dark.

Broader strategy

The most recent local closure came this past spring in Toms River. Stop & Shop cited that Route 9 supermarket’s poor financial performance for why it opted not to renew the lease, according to NJ.com.

The chain still has two other sites in Toms River: 2360 Lakewood Road and 353 Route 37.

The closures are tied to a broader, multiyear strategy designed to strengthen Stop & Shop’s competitive position. The chain has also lowered prices, made operational improvements and enhanced fresh offerings.

Additionally, Stop & Shop has remodeled roughly half of its stores across the Northeast. Within New Jersey, outposts such as Clifton, Bayonne, Pompton Plains, Wayne and South Orange have been updated.

In Westfield, Stop & Shop’s store of 20-plus years is less than a quarter mile away from popular specialty chain Trader Joe’s.

Stop & Shop is among several Westfield properties identified by local officials for potential redevelopment because of its proximity to the downtown and NJ Transit train station. Other designated parcels include the former Lord & Taylor and the Rialto Center for Creativity.