MIDDLEBURY — Greg’s Meat Market was open for business Monday, March 30 — albeit with a small staff working among store aisles with severely depleted shelves.
The Independent tried to reach current Greg’s co-owner, Bart Litvin, by phone this morning. Litvin’s voice mail would not accept new messages. An auto reply from Litvin’s email last week said he would be out until March 26.
The Independent visited the store early this afternoon in an effort to find Litvin, but was told that he was not in. A store employee said that the store would be open on a “day-by-day” basis.
There was activity in the Greg’s deli and in its meat-cutting department, but grocery items were in short supply.
The Independent has been trying to reach Litvin by phone, email and in person since last Monday in order to clarify the future of what has been a popular, independently owned store in Middlebury village. Shoppers have noticed a steady reduction in store inventory in recent weeks amid rumors of its possible demise or sale of Greg’s.
Bart Litvin and Lisa Hartman purchased the store from longtime owner Greg Wry in December of 2009. Wry established the supermarket in place of Stan’s Shop & Save back in 1981. He had previously worked at the former Middlebury A&P for 22 years — 19 of them as manager.
THE SHELVES IN the produce section of Greg’s Meat Market were nearly bare on Saturday.