When Chris Krehmeyer learned that Save A Lot planned to close its Pagedale location in St. Louis County, he was taken by surprise because the grocery store had just renewed its commitment to the location.
“We did renew our lease with them,” Krehmeyer told the St. Louis Record. “We had a 10-year original lease, and then we had three five-year renewals. So, there was an expectation that, once we signed the five-year lease, they would stay longer.”
Beyond Housing owns the building, located at 6840 Page Ave., which Save A Lot had been leasing since 2010. While Beyond Housing received Tax Increment Financing (TIF) incentives, Save A Lot did not.
“We're in the process of going through the lease termination process now,” Krehmeyer said. “They clearly made a decision that they didn't think that they could make a go of it.”
The grocery store closed officially on Nov. 6.
“This was the first big redevelopment in this area and now it's gone but the building is still there and we're going to reoccupy it,” Krehmeyer said.
"This work is not easy so we do our best and the community knows we're here and that we’re working for and with them. We’re doing everything we can to make the vision of what the community wants. The challenge becomes how do you take a community with not as many resources and disposable income as others and create market-driven opportunities that can be successful.”
Employees from the shuttered Save A Lot are being offered jobs at locations some two miles away at Union and Page and St. Charles Rock Road, according to media reports.
Krehmeyer is looking forward to starting over with a new operator.
“The store worked for 11 years and we're confident that we can get another operator and put them in there to provide important healthy and affordable food for our community,” he said. “We will work with whoever expresses interest and has the capacity to provide what this community would like to see happen in the building.”
Among the alternatives are regional players, such as Ruler Foods, which is a Kroger brand grocery store.
“We're reaching out and if anybody has any interest, we'll pursue that and do everything we can to get the store reoccupied as quickly as possible,” Krehmeyer said. “Schnucks is a family brand that has the biggest share of the marketplace. So, clearly, they'd be a logical entity to talk to. There is also Aldi that has been having a growing presence in the region and Ruler came to the marketplace a couple of years ago.”
Save A Lot did not immediately respond to requests for comment.