Marsh Coming To An End? My Analysis.

     A small chain of grocery stores located primarily around Indianapolis and several markets in Indiana and around Ohio may soon be a thing of the past. Indianapolis-based supermarket chain Marsh announced the closure of two stores last week, and five more added to the list leading to my suspicion Marsh may cut back on there market share. Strong competition from Kroger, Meijer, and Wal-Mart can lead to Marsh shrinking there number of locations, this will not be quick, I have personally noticed Marsh closing locations individually and parent O'Malia's the past several years.

     According to The Indy Channel, Marsh stated the closures are a result of "sustained weak sales", and how its difficult to leave a community used to shopping at Marsh, and without them, how it will impact the community. Escalated talk of closures comes from the rumor of financial trouble, and how many stores that have closed the past several years leading up to consumer suspicions.

     I read "loosing money for years" and it came to mind that Marsh opened up a location just outside Chicago in Naperville, Illinois around late 2004/early 2005. The store was built from half an unfinished Super Kmart Center, Super Kmart wanted to build a store in Naperville, plans changed with the bankruptcy. This was the first Marsh I have ever been to, the atmosphere was so different compared to Jewel-Osco or Dominick's. The store must have been a huge loss for the chain because it closed a year later, close to the exact opening date I remember. Being so far from there warehouse and any other location made stocking to store difficult I'm sure. However, several years past from then, and I shopped in Marsh in Lafayette, Indiana, and many locations around Indianapolis, and to me, they just feel like a cheap market, like a Butera or Caputo's.

Before the closures stored, at there peak, the company operated 70 Marsh and O'Malia's stores primarily around Indianapolis, and through Indiana and Southwest Ohio.

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