MAYFAIR UNIT TO CLOSE; 3 MAY FOLLOW

AMY I. STICKEL

ELIZABETH, N.J. -- Mayfair Super Markets here said it will close one of its stores, and a trade observer said the company plans to shut three more.

Mayfair spokeswoman Michelle Maselli said a Mayfair supermarket in Howell Township, N.J., will close Aug. 27. The supermarket, under the Foodtown banner, competes with two other operators within a roughly one-mile area along Route 9.

The store has not met company sales targets, Maselli said.

Maselli said Mayfair has no intention of closing any other stores. "We have no plans at this time," she said.

However, John Niccollai, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 464-A in New Jersey, said Mayfair stores in Linden, Union Township and one other, undisclosed location will close because they are underper-forming larger units in the chain.

Niccollai said he learned this from company officials, but he was not sure when the three stores would close.

Mayfair has recently denied market reports that it will be acquired by Pathmark Stores, Woodbridge, N.J. The 30-unit Mayfair named a new president, Frank Curci, and realigned other top management positions in June.

Mayfair stores operate under the Foodtown banner.