Although a recent meeting between VJ Gautieri Constructors Inc. and tenant John Hedlund, the franchisee of Save-A-Lot at 45-47 Ellicott St., had no definitive outcome, Vito Gautieri says the store is apparently closing as of Saturday, per a crudely written sign on the downtown Batavia door.
In speaking with Save-A-Lot corporate, it seems that company leaders would like to keep a presence in Batavia, Gautieri said. He is hopeful that his company can find another franchisee to fill the 18,000-square-foot space.
It’s not the first time for the real estate developer to come through for downtown city dwellers, as Gautieri worked to fill gaps left first by Jubilee and then Latina’s, to then fill the void with Save-A-Lot in August 2011.
When Save-A-Lot opened 13 years ago, Hedlund owned four grocery stores with business partner Bill Larson in Pennsylvania and New York.
In 2021, Hedlund opted to extend his Batavia lease and make some major renovations — about $300,000 worth — when Victor Gautieri, president of VJ Gautieri Constructors, began the extensive project of adding market-rate apartments to an upper floor of the building.
Vito Gautieri is hopeful that another grocery store, ideally Save-A-Lot, will want to move into that corner spot at Jackson and Ellicott streets.
