Tops Friendly Markets will be closing its location on W. 26th St. in the City of Erie this month, the company announced Monday.

The store, which is located at 1520 W. 26th St., will shut its doors Friday, June 23, at 6 p.m. The gas station on site will be shut down, too.

The company said the store's lease will expire this summer, and the company is offering all affected employees positions at nearby stores.

“Closing a store is always a difficult decision,” said Ron Ferri, executive vice president of operations and distribution for Tops Markets. “The expiration of the lease combined with the proximity of other Tops locations as well as the new amenities we’ll now be able to add at those locations all factored into the decision."

The closing comes as Tops said it has invested $6 million into five stores which serve customers in Erie, Waterford, Union City and Meadville.

A new gas station will be built at the Tops at W. 38th St., and beer and wine will be sold at the store at E. 38th St.

The renovations will improve the store experience and expand the space available for fresh food and produce.

Store bakeries will also start offering a larger selection of custom cakes and pastries, and the deli will have more items available to-go.

Other improvements include new exterior paint, enhanced facade and refreshed landscaping, new decor, energy-efficient lighting and state-of-the-art self checkouts. 

Renovations at the two Erie locations, along with the storefront in Waterford, are scheduled to be completed in the coming weeks. The reopening date is set for June 25. 

Work at the Union City and Meadville locations is set to be complete in late summer or early fall.