A second Fred’s store is closing in Meridian, according to a news release from David Majure, the president of Fred’s Franchise Stores, Meridian. 

It was announced in April that more than a hundred Fred’s across the country will go out of business, including one on 22nd Avenue, which closes Thursday.

Another on Eighth Street will also close, though a date was not provided and Majure could not be reached. A worker said the Eighth Street location will close sometime in June.

In the statement, Majure said that Fred’s stores in Meridian had “fluctuated up and down” over the last 50 years and that “in 2016 we began a series of store sales and store closures” in hopes of keeping more profitable stores in business.

The store’s Memphis-based franchiser, Fred’s Inc., eliminated the franchisee program that the Eighth Street Fred’s was a part of “after a number of setbacks.”

Regular shoppers were disappointed in both stores closing.”I don’t think it’s a good thing for the city of Meridian,” said Della Thedford. “We need competition with the big-box stores. And now all the employees are going to have to find new jobs.”

Thedford said she used Fred’s to pick up “small items, toiletries” and liked the rugs and pictures it sold.Fred’s sells food, snacks, over-the-counter drugs and general house items. The first opened in Coldwater, Miss. in 1947. Majure’s father opened Meridian’s first Fred’s in 1968 on Fifth Street and went on to operate more stores in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Florida.

“I didn’t come to this one (the Eighth Street location) much before,” said Bonnie Scott. “I grew up on the south side, so I went to the other one. I only started coming to this one recently, and it’s so sad.””People need their jobs, you know,” she said.

The news release said that Majure will continue operating in Meridian through his other business, an Ace Hardware. A Quitman Fred’s run by Majure will be remodeled and rebranded to include a “more clinical setting for our pharmacy customers.”

Several retailers have expressed interest in buying the Eighth Street Fred’s lot and an announcement is pending, according to the news release.