The Dan’s Market at 2330 E. 3300 South in Millcreek has always been the neighborhood grocery store for Shirl Holbrook and his family.
It was the most convenient store for weekly shopping trips, Holbrook said, “and the parking is so easy, you can zip in and zip out when you just need something for a recipe.”
Holbrook and other residents in the Canyon Rim neighborhood of Salt Lake County will have to find another place to shop, as Associated Food Stores is closing the Dan’s Market. The last day of business is Saturday, Jan. 20.
Darin Peirce, a district manager for Dan’s, said the store will merge with the nearby Fresh Market at 3865 S. 2300 East.
The company would not say what would happen to the employees, only that “it is working diligently to place as many team members as possible in nearby Associated stores.”
The Dan’s on 3300 South is one of two grocery stores that Associated Food Stores has decided to close this month. The Macey’s store in Clinton will close on Jan 27.
While closing stores is a “tough decision,” Peirce said, consolidating operations “is in the best interest of our entire company,” which operates all Dan’s, Dick’s, Macey’s, Lin’s, Fresh Market and other Associated stores in the surrounding eight states.
The Dan’s on 3300 has “been around for a long time and had a long and good run,” he said. When the store opened several decades ago, it was across the street, where Rite Aid is now. Later it moved to its current location, a former Smith’s Food & Drug.
Associated does not own the Dan’s Market building and the current lease is winding down, Peirce said, which played into the decision to close. Associated does own the Fresh Market building.
In anticipation of the Dan’s closing, the Fresh Market has been remodeled and updated. “We hope that our longtime loyal customers will come down the street and shop with us at the Fresh Market,” he said.
The area, though, has several grocery competitors. Harmons has its Brickyard store at 3270 S. 1300 East, and there is a Smith’s at 3171 E. 3300 South.
Holbrook said he will likely shop at Harmons, albeit reluctantly.
“I’m sad to see Dan’s go,” he said. “It’s been such an institution in our neighborhood for so long.”
