Local
Tempe Bashas' to Close After Nearly 40 Years, Leaving Shoppers and Workers in the Lurch
The Bashas' at Warner Road and McClintock Drive will shut its doors by the end of November, with the company citing lease renewal and economic factors. Longtime customers mourn the loss of a neighborhood institution as employees face uncertain futures.
TEMPE, Ariz. â A Bashas' grocery store that has anchored the corner of Warner Road and McClintock Drive since 1986 will close by the end of November, the company confirmed, citing an upcoming lease renewal and a review of store performance and economic conditions.
The closure marks the end of nearly four decades of operation at the Tempe location, which has long served as a neighborhood hub for residents who valued its friendly service and familiar faces.
Bashas' said it is working to place as many affected employees as possible at nearby locations. The company did not provide a firm closure date but said it expects to shut down by the end of the month.
Longtime customer Ed Healy, who has shopped at the store for three decades, said he was surprised by the news. "It's always been a great store to go to," Healy said. "It's always been very friendly service. Many of the [employees] have been here for years."
The closure comes as traditional grocers face mounting pressure from larger competitors. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, inflation-adjusted food sales at warehouse clubs and supercenters surged 317.1% between 1997 and 2025, from $69 billion to $289 billion. Over the same period, grocery store sales grew just 15.7%, from $533 billion to $617 billion.
Bashas' was acquired by Raley's in December 2021, along with AJ's Fine Foods and Food City. The Arizona-founded chain has been a staple in the state for generations.
For Tempe residents, the loss of the Warner and McClintock store means more than just a place to buy groceries. It represents the disappearance of a community gathering spot where employees knew customers by name and where longtime shoppers like Healy could count on consistent, personal service.
As the store prepares to close its doors, customers and workers alike are left to grapple with the change â and to wonder what will fill the space next.