The County Market on South Sixth Street is closing soon, but the parent company may keep a presence in the shopping center in some other form.
“Our lease is not being renewed,” said Gerry Kettler, director of consumer affairs for Niemann Foods, who said the store will be closing in about six weeks. “All employees can maintain employment without a break at other area stores.”
The Quincy-based parent company operates more than 100 supermarkets, pet stores and hardware stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. In Springfield, Niemann Foods has two other County Market locations at 210 E. Carpenter Ave. and 1903 W. Monroe Ave., plus Harvest Market at 3001 S. Veterans Parkway.
The shopping center on South Sixth Street anchored by County Market, 2777 S. Sixth St., was owned for years by the Kent Family Partnership. However, Doug Kent, a member of the partnership and commercial real estate broker, told SBJ the Kent family sold the plaza several years ago to an East Coast-based real estate company.
Jeff St. Romain, a commercial broker with Greystone Development Group, which now owns the shopping center, told SBJ that it was Niemann Foods’ choice to close County Market. “Their lease runs through 2025; we didn’t tell them they couldn’t renew,” he said.
St. Romain said there were redevelopment plans in the works that could include dividing the County Market space into two separate suites and that Niemann Foods had expressed interest in a “smaller grocery concept.” He said his company is talking with other potential tenants as well.
“We’re currently working with some prospects, but nothing is signed yet,” he said.
“We have had a lot of interest with some other people coming in and we’re working with some national grocers as well. Either way, we’ll be in good shape. (Once County Market moves out), we’ll start making some improvements to spruce it up.”
Kettler said that while County Market is vacating the shopping center, it’s still possible that Niemann Foods would operate a different type of grocery store there.
“We would like to keep a presence in that location, but it depends on space available after their redevelopment, among other things,” he said.
This story has been updated to include comments from the landlord and additional information from a Niemann Foods spokesperson.
