Food Shopping Markets May Merge

A proposed merger between Purity Supermarkets and Stop and Shop has left many local residents wondering about the future of the Purity Supreme market in Central Square.

In February, at the urging of the Central Square Neighborhood Association, Purity Supermarkets agreed to spend $500,000 on renovations to the supermarket, located at 600 Mass. Ave., said Robert Boulrice, president of the Central Square Neighborhood Coalition.

But the proposed merger leaves the fate of such renovations uncertain, Boulrice said.

"It would be unfortunate if those renovations did not proceed," he said. "Everything that I've read up to now has been of a very cautionary note."

Last week, Stop and Shop agreed to pay $255 million for Purity Supermarkets, which includes Purity Supreme supermarkets and Li'I Peach convenience stores, said Mary-Jo Anderson, a spokesperson for Quincy-based Stop and Shop.

Stop and Shop last year closed a store on Memorial Drive, leaving Purity Supreme as one of the only options to residents of Cambridgeport, Riverside and Area Four, according to Geneva T. Malenfant, vice president of the Neighborhood Coaliation and incoming president of the Cambridge Civic Association.

"They really need this kind of a store," she said. "Since Stop and Shop has already left on Memorial Drive, it becomes super-important."

Currently, in addition to Purity Supreme, Cambridge has two Star Markets and several smaller independent markets, Malenfant said.

"Man does not live by Bread and Circus alone," Malenfant joked, referring to the specialty grocery chain with two stores in Cambridge.

Anderson said yesterday that Stop and Shop has not yet made a decision on the future of the 55 Purity Supreme stores it has agreed to purchase.

"We won't be making any operational decisions until the regulatory process is complete," she said.

And Chuck Chisolm, Director of Real Estate for Purity, said planning for the renovation of the store will continue.

"We're proceeding with our plans to renovate the store," he said. "We're still working on our plans internally."

Chisolm said he does not yet know whether the merger will impact the renovations.

Boulrice said he is concerned about rumors that the store may close.

"If the store were to close, it would be a real concern," he said. "There are 45,000 people who live in the neighborhoods of Central Square."

But the sale of Purity Supreme to Stop and Shop may also benefit the neighborhood, he said.

"There could be a reconfigured grocery store with more square footage," Boulrice said. "If Stop and Shop for whatever reason does not wish to operate this store, then perhaps they could rent the space to independent management who would."

And independent groups have expressed interest in opening a grocery store in Central Square, Malenfant said.

Luis Soto, a partner in the Selmac Corporation, which operates the America's Food Basket market in Dorchester, said his group is extremely interested in opening a store in Cambridge.

"I think there's a great need in Cambridge for our type of operation," he said. "We bring a lot of things with us to the community, including jobs."

Soto said he hopes to open a 20,000 to 25,000 square foot market selling both general groceries and special ethnic foods.

"We serve the Spanish community, the Haitians and the Portuguese," he said. "We carry ethnic goods from the Carribean."

Soto said he believes his style of management would benefit the Central Square neighborhood.

"We know the community, and we know the culture," he said. "The chains are too big to address the needs of the community."

And Malenfant said the primary desire of Central Square residents is a competitively-priced, full-service market.

"Purity is often very crowded, and nobody can work in there," she said. "A 20,000 square foot grocery store is a good size and would be an improvement."