Empty shelves and sad faces filled the aisles as Hart’s prepared to close Friday. The downtown Rochester grocer opened to fanfare about five years ago. But over the years, the store was losing money, and earlier this month the owners announced it was closing.
Longtime shoppers like Madalyn Button stopped by to say goodbye.
“We’re very sad to see them go,” said Button. “We come down here all the time for snacks or lunch sometimes breakfast.”
Timothy O’Connor managed the front end at Hart’s. He said the end was abrupt.
“It did come pretty suddenly so there wasn’t a lot of time to prep and get your resume all set,” said O’Connor
Glenn Kellogg, Hart’s president was saddened to let employees like O’Connor go but he said, with the store
not turning a profit until this year, it was necessary.
“Well I think it’s heartbreaking I’m really sad that we’ve come to the point that we just can’t afford to continue operating,” said Kellogg. “I don’t know that there is a future for the store in Rochester. It’s certainly not a future that I’ll be a part of managing.”
Kellogg says the Hart’s logo and brand rights are for sale. No word yet on what will happen to the space.
