They survived the first three rounds of announced store closures, but Baldwyn and Saltillo Fred’s location are among the latest to get the corporate axe.
The Memphis-based retailer announced Friday morning that another 129 stores will be closing. This after already this year announcing the closure of 303 stores. In all, the closures announced Friday will leave Fred’s with just 80 stores and 166 pharmacies, and speculation is the company will be history by the end of this year.
In our print edition, which published Thursday, The Baldwyn News reported that a sign had appeared outside the Baldwyn store noting the property as being for sale or lease, but neither Fred’s corporate representatives nor real estate agents with ARC Realty of Birmingham, Ala., would respond to information requests submitted by The News in regard to the store’s or property’s future.
In a press release issued Friday, the company said all pharmacies would stay open and be able to fill prescriptions.
“While it is never easy to make decisions that impact our valued employees and customers, this initiative represents another necessary step in our continued efforts to stabilize our business by simplifying our store portfolio and product assortment,” Joseph Anto, Fred’s CEO, said in Friday’s release.
Store closings announced on Friday in the region include those in Iuka, Fulton, New Albany and Red Bay, Alabama.
