After Nearly 50 Years, Comet Will Say Goodbye to Clarion

CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Approximately 36 employees will be out of work when Comet Food Warehouse in Clarion ceases operation.

As first reported Monday by exploreClarion.com, the store will soon be closing its doors permanently.

Sam Levy Jr., Assistant Vice President of Comet’s parent company, Jefferson Wholesale, notified the store’s manager of the closure on Monday morning.

A Comet employee said the popular South Fifth Avenue grocery store will likely shut down in approximately one month; however, an exact date hasn’t been set.

Comet will have a storewide 20% off sale starting next week. Remaining items will likely be further discounted after that.

The store, owned by the Levy family of Punxsutawney, has been a staple in the Clarion community since opening as Comet Market in 1972. The same building had originally housed Quaker Market which opened in 1968.

J.G. Food Warehouse in Clearfield is now the lone retail market operated by Jefferson Wholesale, and the company has no plans to close that location. Jefferson Wholesale was forced to close Comet Market in Punxsutawney in 2013, after 50 years in business.

Just two years prior to that closure, the Levy family closed Jefferson Grocery, its wholesale division, due to increased competition from big-box stores. The company had been in operation for over 100 years.

“David beat Goliath only in the Bible,” said Sam Levy to the Punxsutawney Spirit in 2011 following Jefferson Grocery’s shut down.

With the closure of Comet Food Warehouse, local grocery shoppers will be left with only two options in Clarion – Aldi and Walmart.

Calls to Jefferson Wholesale for comment have not yet been returned.


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