Thorne’s Markets closes all stores: Report

Thorne’s Markets, an independent supermarket operator located in Salem, Ohio, closed all of its stores on Friday and was expected to file for bankruptcy protection, local reports said.

Thorne’s operated four stores under the Thorne’s Bi-Lo, Coffy’s Supermarket and Thorne’s Market banners. The family-run company was founded in 1972, according to its website. It closed two Thorne’s stores in Oil City, Ohio, late last year.

According to a report in the Star Beacon newspaper, union workers at Thorne’s Bi-Lo store in Jefferson, Ohio, were informed late last year the company had not made its last two months of union insurance premium payments, causing the policies to lapse near the end of November.

A representative of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880, which represented the workers, was not available for comment.

Thorne’s was not available for comment.