Southern Family Closing Birmingham Stores

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Southern Family Markets will close six locations in the Birmingham area on or before Jan. 20, the chain said. "Closing stores is always a difficult decision to make; however, we will do the right things for our people," Bill White, chief operating officer of Southern Family, said in a statement. "Going forward, we expect to focus on markets with newer facilities and a stronger market presence." Southern Family is a division of C&S Wholesale Grocers, Keane, N.H. The closures, which would affect around 250 workers, would leave Southern Family with 43 grocery stores and 11 liquor stores, published reports said.