Most shelves at Shoppers College Park currently lay barren, fenced off with caution tape and display bright yellow signs that read, “STORE CLOSING 50% OFF GROCERY.”

United Natural Foods, Inc., announced late October that Shoppers’ College Park, Laurel, Capitol Heights and Germantown locations will close on or before Nov. 8.

“As we work to strengthen our retail business for the future, we’re taking steps to optimize our footprint where necessary while continuing to enhance the customer experience in our remaining stores,” UNFI, the owner of Shoppers, wrote in a statement to The Diamondback.

The Shoppers College Park employees found out about the store’s closure in mid-October but were not told why, the store’s product manager Deyci Castillejos said. Castillejos said management is moving ahead with preparation to close the store.

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District 3 Prince George’s County council member Eric Olson said he had previously heard about the possibility of Shoppers closing, but he was not officially made aware until late last week.

Five Prince George’s County council members, including Olson, sent a letter to UNFI’s CEO asking to meet and discuss the closures.

The letter details the council members’ concerns regarding UNFI’s decision to close the Shoppers locations, which they believe will result in a “food desert.”

Olson said the council members hope to discuss the company’s responsibility to the local market and strategies in keeping these stores open with UNFI’s CEO.

“This is not in the public interest at all,” Olson said.

Some frequent customers of Shoppers College Park have expressed disappointment over losing the grocery store.

College Park resident Chinoye Ndubueze, who works as a pharmacy tech and attends University of Maryland Global Campus, said she enjoys Shoppers’ affordability and close proximity to her apartment.

Ndubueze said she worries about who will take over the space after Shoppers officially closes down.

“They have to replace it with a store or grocery store that is affordable in pricing, especially right now where the prices for food and everything has gone up,” Ndubueze said.

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Castillejos, who has worked at various Shoppers locations for about 19 years, said she is also wondering how this closure will affect her.

She said she’s still waiting to hear from the union she’s a member of about the status of her job.

“Based on my experience … I do not have a need to start another job, but I hear that people are struggling,” Castillejos said.

Olson said he is hoping the Prince George’s County Council will be able to work with UNFI to keep Shoppers open.

Grocery stores are a necessity to the community because they are profitable and provide job opportunities to community members, Olson said.

District 1 College Park council member Jacob Hernandez said if UNFI moves forward with closing Shoppers, the city will welcome future vendors that can fulfill the role the store had in the community.

“This is an ideal space for any future vendor to come be a part of the College Park community,” Hernandez said.