Alachua, FL — An iconic Florida grocery chain, Hitchcock’s Markets, is abruptly closing all its stores after more than 80 years in business, sparking concerns that many small towns could soon become food deserts with no access to affordable fresh groceries.
The family-owned regional chain, long known for serving rural communities overlooked by big-name competitors, confirmed that it will shut down all locations by the end of October.
A Sudden Closure With No Warning
According to Florida station WCJB, residents were surprised when signs appeared on store doors thanking customers for “more than 80 wonderful years.” The report said many locations are holding 30% off sales ahead of their permanent closure.
“You may think it’s business as usual at the Hitchcock’s Market in Keystone Heights, but that’s until you get to the door and see this sign thanking customers for more than 80 wonderful years,” WCJB reported.
The owners of Hitchcock’s have not provided a reason for the sudden shutdown. Some stores are expected to reopen under the Winn-Dixie brand in the coming months, but workers say they have not been informed whether they’ll be offered jobs.
From Small-Town Roots to Regional Legacy
Hitchcock’s has been a grocery staple across central Florida since 1945, when Bob Hitchcock and his father opened the first store in Alachua to provide quality groceries to underserved towns. The company later expanded to areas like Archer, Jasper, Trenton, Williston, and Newberry.
Over the years, the chain changed ownership several times but maintained its local appeal and community focus. As summarized by The Street:
“Hitchcock’s recognized the need for rural towns in Central Florida to have clean, well-stocked, quality products and service-driven food stores and opened their first store in 1945.”
The Alvarez family, who purchased Hitchcock’s in 2019, announced plans in October 2025 to sell all 10 stores across North Central Florida to various grocery chains. Some transactions have reportedly already been finalized.
Timeline of Hitchcock’s Growth and Change
- 1945: Bob Hitchcock and his father open the first Hitchcock’s Market in Alachua, Florida.
- 1977: The original store is replaced with a modern supermarket on Main Street and US 301.
- 1979: Alan Hitchcock takes over the company and begins regional expansion.
- 2001: Hitchcock’s acquires several former Miller’s Supermarket locations.
- 2008: Alan Hitchcock sells the company to Haug Enterprises, affiliated with SuperValu.
- 2019: The Alvarez family acquires the chain.
- 2020: Hitchcock’s opens a store in St. Petersburg in a former Lucky’s Market location.
- 2022: The St. Petersburg location closes after less than two years.
- 2025: The company announces plans to sell all remaining stores.
Growing Concern Over Food Deserts
The closure is more than just a business story — it’s a community crisis. Hitchcock’s stores often served rural and small-town customers with no nearby alternatives. If replacement buyers are not found, entire regions could lose access to affordable, fresh food.
“An estimated 1 million Virginians live in so-called food deserts — areas with no grocery stores within one mile in urban regions and within 10 miles in rural communities. Nationally, that figure is estimated at a dangerously high 37 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” wrote the Richmond Times Dispatch in an earlier editorial.
Food policy expert Michael Pollan echoed similar concerns, warning that food deserts are a direct threat to public health.
“We have food deserts in our cities. We know that the distance you live from a supplier of fresh produce is one of the best predictors of your health,” Pollan said. “We have to figure out a way of getting supermarkets and farmers markets into the inner cities.”
National Attention on a Persistent Issue
The issue of food deserts gained national attention during Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign, which aimed to eliminate them within seven years.
“Our goal is ambitious — to eliminate food deserts in America completely in seven years,” Obama said in a 2010 PBS interview. “We’re setting people up for failure if we don’t fix this.”
While progress has been made in some areas, Hitchcock’s closure could reverse those gains in Central Florida, leaving residents without affordable access to produce, dairy, and other essentials.
Community members hope other chains — like Winn-Dixie or Publix — will purchase some of Hitchcock’s vacant stores to prevent additional hardship for families.
What do you think about Hitchcock’s closing and its impact on rural Florida communities? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
