Ukrop's at Lightfoot to close at end of January

Another sign of a slowed-down economy is the news that Ukrop's will be closing their two-year-old store at Lightfoot on January 31, 2009. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported:

In a letter sent to shoppers today, Robert S. Ukrop, president and chief executive of the chain, wrote, "We opened the . . . store in anticipation of the significant growth expected along the [Interstate] 64 corridor." A slowdown in the housing market "suggests that development will be sluggish, at least for the foreseeable future."

The other Ukrop's store in Williamsburg at 4660 Monticello Avenue in the Target Shopping Center will remain open (and appears to be doing well).

Word on the street is the Roanoke Ukrop's store, after a robust start, has lower-than-expected sales. It is a beautiful store and is the western-most supermarket in their chain so it would be good to see it remain open.