BOARDMAN — The long-term widening project on Western Reserve Road has erected economic barricades one merchant says it couldn’t breach.

Western Reserve Sparkle Market plans to close next week, according to ownership.

“The decision is not a reflection of the store’s employees, as our team at this location has been outstanding,” Sparkle management said in a news release sent earlier this week. “Their dedication to our customers and the community has meant everything to us, and we are deeply grateful for the work they’ve done every day.”

Located at 1135 W. Western Reserve Road, the store was constructed in 2005. The Mahoning County Auditor’s Office lists Furr Tullos LLC as the property and building’s owner.

“We would also like to express our appreciation to our neighbors and customers who have supported the store over the years,” the news release said. “We are thankful to everyone in the community who chose to shop with us and make this store a part of our daily lives.”

The Mahoning County Engineer’s Office is overseeing the yearslong effort. Completion was originally slated for May, but has been pushed back to the beginning of September.

With a price tag of approximately $20 million, the improvements cover the area east of Hitchcock Road to the Interstate 680 southbound exit ramp.

Sparkle and a group of businesses between Hitchcock Road and Glenwood Avenue suffered a construction blockade in November 2022.

“They’re pretty much hitting us and all of these businesses for the holiday season, and obviously grocery stores are the biggest thing right now during the holidays,” a Sparkle spokeswoman said in an interview at the time. “Everybody is cooking, but you’ve got people who want to send out packages for the holidays, so ShipOnSite is hurting, and everybody knows the night before Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday for everybody to go out.”

Business during that time was reportedly down 60%.

Sparkle and its neighbors are currently free of construction equipment and signs rerouting traffic. Late Tuesday afternoon, vehicles filled the Sparkle parking lot, seemingly in response to the market’s impending closure.

Sparkle traces its Valley roots back to 1955. Loss of the Western Reserve store leaves the chain with 10 sites. Situated locally are markets in Cornersburg, Brookfield, Champion and Cortland. Andover is home to the chain’s lone Ashtabula County store. Markets operating south of Mahoning County are found in East Liverpool, East Palestine, Columbiana, Chester, W.Va., and New Cumberland, W.Va.

Several Sparkles have closed in recent years. The company cited declining sales, COVID-19 and competition from dollar stores as the reasons.

They include properties in Lisbon (October 2020); New Castle, Pa. (Union Township, January 2024); Craig Beach (October 2024); Niles (January 2025); Warren (Parkman Road, June 2025); and Youngstown (South Avenue, June 2025).

Before that Sparkle Markets were found in areas that included Girard, Windham, New Middletown, North Lima and Boardman (Market Street).