Photo from Roy Pope Grocery Facebook page
One Fort Worth grocer that’s endured the test of time for nearly eight decades will soon be a memory.
Roy Pope Grocery announced its closure this week, following 77 years of business through dynamic times.
“To our loyal customers and all our friends, we want to thank you for all the wonderful years of patronage,” a statement from the grocer reads. “We have striven to offer a pleasant and friendly atmosphere to shop.”
The decision to close was made in January, says Roy Pope owner Bob Larance, and unrelated to the public health crisis spurred by COVID-19 (coronavirus). Two years of steady revenue decline and a dwindling customer base resulted in the harsh decision to eventually shut doors.
“It’s a dollars and cents game,” Larance says, commenting on the low profit margins of grocery stores. “If you’re not bringing in revenue to sustain it, if you can’t get enough customer count to support, you’re eventually not going to make it.”
Roy Pope staff is still urging the public to come in and buy products, some of which are unique to the store only. After it’s all gone, Roy Pope will shut down. The team is working to clear inventory and to “renew cherished memories of this establishment.”
Larance says he hopes somebody steps in to buy the brand and “take it in a different direction,” but that hasn’t happened yet.
“We just didn’t have the holiday season we needed, and it’s been coming on the past two years,” Larance says. “It has truly been a very memorable and humbling experience.”
