West Hartford ShopRite to close in November, citing ‘business climate’ and new minimum wage

The ShopRite grocery store in West Hartford will close in late November after store officials say a “challenging business climate,” including the state’s new higher minimum wage, made the store unprofitable.

The Kane Street location will close Nov. 26, just two days before Thanksgiving, according to a statement Sunday from Wakefern Food Corp., the New Jersey grocery cooperative that licenses ShopRite stores across the region.

“After nearly a decade of serving the West Hartford community, ShopRite has decided it will close its doors,” the statement read. “In spite of our competitive pricing, large assortment of foods and products, and excellent service provided by our dedicated associates, we have struggled to make the store profitable. A challenging business climate impacted by rising costs, regulations and the new minimum wage increase led to the difficult decision to close our doors on Nov. 26.”

Connecticut’s minimum wage is set to increase to $11 per hour on Tuesday, up from $10.10 per hour, after lawmakers voted this spring on a plan to bring the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2023.

A company spokeswoman declined Sunday morning to expand on the reasons for closing the location and store managers directed all questions to Wakefern.

The Kane Street location opened more than nine years ago when a series of former Shaw’s locations were transformed into ShopRite stores. It is owned by the Joseph Family Markets, which also owns and operates the ShopRite in Canton.

The West Hartford store is the only location closing right now, a spokeswoman said.

Zach Murdock can be reached at zmurdock@courant.com.