The owner of Dawson’s Market in Rockville Town Square announced Tuesday morning that the store will close on Oct. 27 after six years in business.
“This was an extremely difficult decision to make,” owner Rick Hood said in a press release. “The Rockville community welcomed Dawson’s Market with open arms in 2012 and has supported our mission since we first opened our doors. Unfortunately, the store did not generate enough business to be financially viable.”
Hood expressed gratitude to “this community,” Federal Realty Investment Trust, which owns the mixed-use development, “and especially the local farmers and vendors.”
“Most importantly, we are thankful for our stewards for their hard work and dedication over the years,” he said.
The 19,000-square-foot store opened in 2012 in the corner of the Rockville Town Square development with a focus on providing locally grown produce and organic and sustainable products. Hood, who opened Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market in Richmond, Virginia, in 1989, named the store after Rockville’s Dawson family, whose 1874 farmhouse and park are on the National Historic Register.
Dawson’s most recently made news with its June announcement that it had banned single-use plastic straws in its store. The straws were replaced with compostable straws that turn to dirt within three to six months in a compositing facility, according to the store.
John Britton, a local community leader, lamented the loss of the grocery store.
“Dawson’s Market has become a local staple over the past several years” Britton said in the release. “More than a grocery store, the Dawson’s team has been an asset to our community, as well as me and my family. We hate to see them go but wish Rick, Bart [Yablonsky] and their team continued success.”
Dawson’s 62 employees were notified Tuesday and were offered assistance in finding new jobs, Hood said.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect the revised closing date for the store, which was changed from Oct. 31 to Oct. 27.