Community protests and union demonstrations have failed to save a Braxton County grocery store. Gassaway’s Kroger is one of 60 locations across the county slated for closing over the next 18 months as the company streamlines its operations and shifts emphasis to higher-performing outlets. On Friday, the deli was the only part of the Gassaway Kroger still operating as the grocery store prepared to close its doors permanently. The store had opened in 1979.Kroger is pulling the plug on underperforming stores as it faces stiff competition from Walmart and others. The community, along with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union had managed to fight off a 2023 effort to close the store after several years of what the company described as ” poor performance and profitability.” “Kroger is supposed to be hometown and they’re not considering the hometown,” said.customer Scott Vaughan.