The owner announced that the two Charlotte locations will close due to financial strain and other operational challenges.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ The People’s Market, a Charlotte-based grocery store chain, is closing its two remaining locations in the Elizabeth and Myers Park neighborhoods, the owner announced on social media Thursday.
The store’s founder, Cory Duran, who opened the first People’s Market location in Dilworth in 2017, cited mounting financial pressures as the reason for closing.
“There’s no single reason for this decision, but the financial stress of running the stores to our full potential became too much in the current environment,” Duran wrote in an Instagram post.
The business faced a series of challenges, including costs associated with opening a new location, broken equipment, HVAC repairs, an electrical fire over the summer and rising food and labor costs. A government shutdown also delayed a Small Business Administration loan that could have provided needed capital.
“The sum of all these parts just made it too much for me to handle alone,” Duran said.
The People’s Market aimed to create a welcoming space for all customers, regardless of background. Duran, a Charlotte native, said the decision was difficult and that the business “fought like hell” to stay open.
โItโs always disappointing when a small business canโt make it,โ customer Susan Mach said. “We like to see small businesses be successful, and we like to support them. And if there are small businesses near us, we like to go to them.”
The announcement thanked the Dilworth, Elizabeth and Myers Park communities, as well as the store’s staff, for their dedication and loyalty.
โI think that this place is a staple in the community around here, it has a lot of really good food and drinks, and I really hope that theyโre able to get the funding that they need to open up,โ customer Cole Howard said.
In response to the announcement, CLT Black Owned shared an Instagram post vowing to rally around the business and help The People’s Market stay open. A GoFundMe created Thursday raised thousands in the first few hours.ย
Duran did not specify when the stores would close.
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