Greensburg’s Save A Lot grocery story is closing Saturday after 17 years on East Pittsburgh Street.
Shoppers mostly have picked the shelves bare, and even the carts are for sale.
Owner Gary Wheatley of Lower Burrell said he’s been looking for someone to buy the store since last year, but didn’t get any offers. His lease is expiring and he faced a choice — renew the lease for another five years, or close the store and retire.
“I wasn’t going to renew for another five years,” he said. “I’d be 76 years old… I didn’t have anyone to take over, and nobody wanted to buy it, so I made the best decision for me, health-wise and retirement-wise.”
The Save A Lot had about 20 employees, most of whom have found new jobs, Wheatley said.
He owns a second grocery store, the Shop ‘n Save in Saltsburg, Indiana County. It will remain open, with Wheatley’s daughter taking over the day-to-day supervision, he said.
Wheatley said he’s disappointed nobody bought the store, which he said fills a valuable role in the community.
“It’s a nice, smaller store, and prices were right for the consumer,” he said.
It will close its doors at 6 p.m. Saturday.
