Best Buy in Rocky Mount to close permanently in May
The Best Buy located on North Wesleyan Boulevard in Rocky Mount will be one of the 50 big-box stores the company closes to help cut costs and restructure, the electronics retailer confirmed Saturday.
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Employees of the store were notified of the decision Saturday morning, the company said. The store will be closed Saturday, but reopen Sunday for final sales. Its final day of operation will be May 12.
In March, Best Buy announced it would be opening 100 small-format stores focusing on its mobile business to help offset the loss in big-box locations. The company, based in Minneapolis, is planning to cut $800 million in costs over the next five years.
Best Buy said in a statement Saturday that it will be working with employees to try and find them other positions within the company.
If those employees don't find new positions, or if they choose not to work at another location, a transition including severance packages will be available.
Customers doing business with the Rocky Mount store are also being contacted, the company said. There are 17 Raleigh-area Best Buy locations, including 11 big-box stores and six Best Buy Mobile stores.
Saturday's announcement is yet another blow to a struggling Rocky Mount economy. In January, Rocky Mount's 12.7 percent unemployment rate was the highest rate among the state's metropolitan area.
In January, Sears and Old Navy also announced that they would be closing stores in the city.
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