>>> WHEN BIG Y ANNOUNCED IN FEBRUARY THEY WOULD BE CLOSING
THEIR MYRTLE STREET LOCATION IN ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, AFTER 35
YEARS, IT SENT SHOCK WAVES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
NOT ONLY DID IT LEAVE ROUGHLY 90 EMPLOYEES WITHOUT A JOB, IT LEFT
THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN WITHOUT A PLACE TO BUY GROCERIES.
FOR THE ELDERLY AND THOSE WHO TRAVEL BY FOOT, THE CLOSING
CREATED A HARDSHIP RATHER THAN AN INCONVENIENCE.
A NEW GROCER HAS QUICKLY MOVED IN TO TAKE OVER.
"CONNECTING POINT"'S BRIAN SULLIVAN HAS THE STORY.
>> ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS, POPULATION, A LITTLE OVER 8,000.
THIS TOWN FEATURES EVERYTHING ONE MIGHT EXPECT TO FIND.
SEVERAL CHURCH STEEPLES, A GA ZEEBO IN THE TOWN SQUARE.
AGING FLOOD SHOOTS THAT CARRY A WATERWAY THROUGH THE CENTRAL OF
TOWN, AND THE BUSINESSES ON THE INSIDE OF MANY OF THEM ARE
KEEPING UP WITH THE MODERN TIMES.
IT IS ONE OF SEVERAL CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THESE UNITED STATES
TO SHOWCASE A STATUE IN HONOR OF PRESIDENT WILLIAM McKINNELLY,
WHO HAPPENED TO LAY THE CORNERSTONE OF THE FREE LIBRARY
AT THE OUTSET OF ITS CONSTRUCTION IN 1897.
THERE IS ONE NOTICEABLE ABSENCE HERE.
IT IS MADE BIGGER BY THE LETTERS THAT EMBLAZONED THE ONE
SUPERMARKET.
GROCERY SHOPPING HAS BEEN EASY.
THE SIGN SAID BIG Y.
NOW THEIR DOORS ARE SHUT.
UNTIL A NEW STORE MOVES IN A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION HAS TO
MAKE A DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENTS.
MUCH OF THEM CAN BE FOUND AT THE BARRETT HOUSE SENIOR LIVING
FACILITY.
ONE OF SEVERAL IN THE AREA WHOSE RESIDENTS USED TO BE ABLE TO
WALK TO DO THEIR GROCERY SHOPPING WHEN THE BIG Y WAS
OPEN.
THE COUNCIL ON AGING HAS HAD TO EXPAND ITS SCHEDULE FOR
RESIDENTS WHO HAVE TO SHOP ELSEWHERE.
>> I WOULD GO EVERY TUESDAY ON THE VAN.
IF I RAN OUT OF SOMETHING FAST I COULD WALK DOWN, I SHOULDN'T
HAVE, BUT I COULD WALK BACK WITH ONE OR TWO ITEMS.
AND I REALLY MISS IT.
I HAVE HAD TO GO TO WALMART WHERE YOU WALK FOR MILES, IT
SEEMS.
>> NOT ONLY IS THE STORE BIGGER, BUT FARTHER AWAY.
THE BIG Y WAS A STONE'S THROW, WALMART IS THREE MILES UP
CURRENT HIGHWAY AND IN NORTH ADAMS.
THE BIG Y IN NORTH ADAMS IS SEVEN MILES AWAY AND MAY TAKE
MORE THAN 15 MINUTES TO GET THERE.
THAT STORE IS MUCH BIGGER AND DOESN'T OFFER THE FAMILIARITY
THE ADAMS BIG Y HAD.
>> FOR A LARGE POPULATION OF DUMTS WHO HAVE MAYBE GROWN
FORGETTABLE OVER THE YEARS REPETITION IS IMPORTANT FOR
THEM.
REACHING LEFT FOR THE SAME PRODUCT THEY KNOW THEY WILL FIND
EVERY TIME.
AND SEEING THE SAME CASHIERS SO WHEN THERE IS A CHANGE, THAT
PERSON CAN HELP THEM.
NOW CHANGE ALL OF THAT AND TAKE AWAY THE FACT THE MILK AND EGGS
ARE NOT IN THE SAME LOCATION, THE DELI IS NOT IN THE SAME
LOCATION, THEY HAVE TO DRIVE TO A NEW MARKET.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DRIVING TO AND FROM TO THE MARKET, NOW PUTTING
THEM ON A HIGHWAY TO GET TO THE NEXT SUPERMARKET IS EXTREMELY
ANXIETY RIDDEN AND PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING NOT TO GO.
>> THERE IS A NEW STORE MOVING IN THE BIG Y BUILDING AND PLAN
TO OPEN MORE QUICKLY THAN ANYBODY ANTICIPATED.
BY MARCH 29.
SEVERAL TRUCKS ARE OCCUPYING THE ERSTWHILE BIG Y AND WORKERS
TRANSITION THE SPACE TO BE THE NEXT HOME FOR ADAMS HOMETOWN
MARKET, A COMPANY BASED OUT OF CONNECTICUT WITH SEVERAL STORES
SCATTERED ACROSS NEW ENGLAND.
THEY HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF THRIVING IN SMALLER STORE
SPACES.
THIS LOCATION WAS SUGGESTED BY A WHOLESALER WITH A COMPANY WHO
SHARES BIG Y.
FOR THE MOST PART THE FLOOR PLAN WILL STAY THE SAME ASIDE FROM A
FEW CHANGES.
THAT OUGHT TO BE GOOD NEWS FOR FORMER SHOPPERS HERE, BUT THERE
MAY BE BETTER NEWS FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES.
>> TUESDAY WE OPEN FOR HIRING FOR THE FIRST TIME 12:00 TO
5:00.
PROCESSED 148 APPLICATIONS IN FIVE HOURS.
WE ARE MEETING WITH THE FORMER EMPLOYEES WHO CHOOSE TO APPLY
FOR US.
WE HAVE INTERVIEWED OVER 200 PEOPLE.
WE ARE THRILLED TO BRING JOBS BACK INTO ADAMS.
>> THAT IS PROBABLY NOT A BAD RECIPE FOR WINNING OVER MANY OF
THE TOWNSPEOPLE WHO FELT THEY WERE HIGH AND DRY BY THE
PREVIOUS STORE'S SUDDEN CLOSURE.
>> THE NEAREST SUPERMARKET ACTUALLY IS PROBABLY FIVE MILES
AWAY NORTH AND THEN SOUTH PROBABLY ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY.
I THINK IT IS GOING TO DO GREAT.
>> I PERSONALLY THINK WE SHOULD HAVE PUT UP A SIGN THAT SAYS
WELCOME.
WE LOVE YOU ALREADY.