Magruder’s Stores Closing

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Magruder’s Supermarkets, which has operated food retail stores in the Washington, D.C., area for more than 130 years, will be closing some or all of its five stores shortly, various sources told SN Tuesday.

Magruder’s officials were not available to confirm the closings. But workers at its stores in Vienna, Va.; Gaithersburg, Md.; and Rockville, Md., told SN Tuesday that the stores were to be closed, but no dates had been set. A person who answered the phone at Magruder’s store in Alexandria, Va., said the store was not closing but “there is something in the works.” Additional questions were referred to Magruder’s Rockville offices. A worker at its Chevy Chase store in Washington referred questions to the corporate office.

The Washington Post’s Capital Business Blog on Tuesday said that Gary Bortnick, at the Magruder’s corporate offices, a week ago claimed the chain had “absolutely no plans to close any of the stores.” But the blog also said empty shelves at area stores prompted questions about its future.

Magruder’s was founded in 1875 in Washington, D.C., according to its website. For many years it was recognized as one of the region’s leading food discounters, but more recently it has been closing stores. It operated as many as 10 locations in 2005 but several in recent years, including most recently an outlet in Silver Spring, Md., in July.