Employees whose stores are being bought by Publix will lose their jobs and will need to re-apply once Publix takes over. Publix said it will hold job fairs closer to grand-opening dates and encourages those Martin’s employees to apply for employment

Those employees also will be able to transfer to one of the nine Martin’s stores that are being marketed for sale at the time their store is closed, Ahold said. Employees at the nine stores will keep their jobs and could be offered employment with the new owner, if one is found.

Ahold said that any employee who is terminated will receive enhanced severance benefits.

For the nine stores not being sold to Publix, Martin’s plans to keep them open for six to 12 months while a buyer or buyers are found. Martin’s also will try to sell its store in Williamsburg.

What if the stores can’t be sold? “We’re hopeful we will be able to do so. But we do not expect to operate these stores beyond the next 6 to 12 months,” said Christopher Brand, a spokesman for Ahold USA, which runs the Martin’s and other supermarket chains in the U.S.

Metzger said he doesn’t think all of the remaining nine stores will be able to be sold. “They will be able to sell some of them, but they all won’t be sold.”