Declining sales and inflation have factored into the loss of 14 jobs and the closing of the Paris Save A Lot, store management has confirmed. The store will shut its doors by May 20.

The Paris Save A Lot financial decline comes, in part, as a result of the impact COVID-19 had on the region, including 17 price changes and 30-40% inflation across inventory, according to store Manager Josh Libby. In addition, Libby said, utility costs have risen with electric bills spiraling from $4,000 a month to $10,000.   

Store revenue dropped from $28,000 a day, historically, to $12,000-$14,000 a day currently — a 50% reduction over six years, Libby said.

After an EBT “outage” during the government shutdown in October 2025, when sales dropped to $12,000 a week, it became the tipping point for the store to close. Further, Libby noted, they could not compete with large corporate chains such as Hannaford, Shaw’s and Walmart. Save A Lot operates as a franchise, not a corporation.

With a franchise structure individual franchisees purchase the rights to open and operate a branch of the business. Franchisees own their specific location, hire local staff, and make day-to-day operational choices within the franchisor’s guidelines. Profits and losses are on the franchisee.

Open for 22 years, the Paris Save A Lot franchise is owned by John Hammontree, who also owns the Portland Save A Lot. The Portland location is not closing.

The operators of the Save A Lot in Lewiston announced in a Facebook post May 15 that the East Avenue store will also be closing but has not said when or why.

Libby said many customers, who had not shopped there in two years, said they will miss the store. He noted regular customers will be significantly hurt by the closure.

Libby suggested the town pursue attracting Market Basket to open a store there.

He predicted that the Save A Lot franchise model will not survive.

“In 10 years, I don’t think Save A Lot will be open (anywhere),” due to its inability to compete as independent franchises versus large corporations, Libby said.

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