Four local Bottom Dollar stores closing

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) - The company that owns Food Lion, Bloom, and Bottom Dollar announced that it will be closing 126 stores nationwide, including four Bottom Dollar Food stores in Hampton Roads.

The parent company, Delhaize America, announced that all affected stores will close within 30 days.

In Newport News, two Bottom Dollar Food stores, located at 6 Elmhurst Street and 10143 Jefferson Avenue, will close. In Portsmouth, the store located at 3935 Twin Pines Road will close, and the store located at 1505 Lynnhaven Parkway in Virginia Beach will close.

Albert Miles is a customer at the Virginia Beach location.

"People that come in here, come in here for a reason. You know, shop because people are on a budget," Miles said.

Small business owner William Bean said, "...because I own a barbecue business and everything and they have the most reasonable prices and everything, so um this is where I come do my shopping. It's really going to, it's going to impact me a lot."

Delhaize America will also retire the Bloom banner and convert 64 Bloom and Bottom Dollar Food stores in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia to Food Lion stores.

"Today's actions will continue to solidify our U.S. operations and enable our company to focus on our successful brand strategy repositioning at Food Lion and the expansion of Bottom Dollar Food in new markets," said Ron Hodge, CEO of Delhaize America. "While these were difficult decisions given the impact on our associates, customers and communities, we believe these actions will enable us to better serve our customers in our markets with high density, while positioning the company for future growth."

Twelve Bloom and Bottom Dollar stores will be converted in Hampton Roads. These stores include:

• Bloom - 717 Battlefield Blvd S., Chesapeake
• Bloom - 1941 S. Church Street, Smithfield
• Bloom - 2005 Sandbridge Rd., Virginia Beach
• Bloom - 2817 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach
• Bloom - 1234 Richmond Road, Williamsburg
• Bloom - 2753 5251 John Tyler Hwy., Williamsburg
• Bottom Dollar - 85 Coliseum Crossing, Hampton
• Bottom Dollar - 12917 Jefferson Ave., Newport News
• Bottom Dollar - 2401 Colley Ave., Norfolk
• Bottom Dollar - 1235 N. Military Hwy., Norfolk
• Bottom Dollar - 8401 Hampton Blvd., Norfolk
• Bottom Dollar - 6203 Va. Beach Blvd., Norfolk

The closures will affect about 4,900 workers across the country. The company said they will provide severance to eligible employees and work with government officials to assist with transition support.

The company said most employees working at converted stores will continue to work at those locations.