MONTEGO BAY, St James — Montegonians on the opposite end of the city from Sangster International Airport used to be spoilt for choice when it came to locations for grocery shopping. But Hurricane Melissa has narrowed their options, and they are not happy.

The Category 5 storm has halted operations at MegaMart in Catherine Hall, Hi Lo in Fairview, and Grand Depot at the entrance of West Green. There are other options available but for many whose lives have already been upended by the wretched storm, yet another change to their routines is unwelcome.

“The loss of MegaMart is an issue because for us in Catherine Hall and West Green, we could walk there,” a shopper who gave his name as Lee told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday.

“MegaMart sells a wide assortment of things that we could benefit from, and this closure is certainly a challenge for residents who depend on the location for their shopping,” he added.

MegaMart’s owners have not yet decided if the store will reopen. Many Montegonians are hoping it will.

“MegaMart usually open 24 hours during them time here, but this not happening and it just not going to feel like Christmas without MegaMart,” one man declared.

The store was also popular for its eye-catching Christmas decorations each holiday season.

One woman who gave her name as Charm explained the impact the various closures have had on her.

“I used to buy rotisserie chicken and soup at MegaMart and would sometimes shop for groceries at Hi Lo Fairview, but Progressive Fairview was my regular spot,” she said.

“Now there’s no soup or chicken at MegaMart [which is closed], so I have to cook instead; and I end up waiting for hours Saturday afternoons at Progressive Fairview because it’s often packed. A lot of people, myself included, put a few things in the trolley, leave it in the line, and continue picking up items — but it still took about three hours last Saturday,” she lamented.

Like many others who live on that side of Montego Bay, she prefers to avoid battling the traffic to get to the city centre and beyond. Progressive’s West Gate location is open and not very far from its Fairview store, but traffic can be daunting.

Many shoppers from Freeport and Fairview have hit the highway to get supplies from Harbour City Mall’s Afresh Marketplace.

Afresh’s sister store, the less-than-one-year-old Grand Depot, is expected to reopen before Christmas. No firm date has been given for Hi Lo Fairview to be back up and running.

“We’re still going through a process, and it has to be repaired,” chief executive officer for Grace Foods, Andrea Coy told the Observer on Tuesday.

“We’re not closing the store indefinitely but it needs to be repaired — it suffered significant damage,” she added.

Coy stressed that there is another Hi Lo option available.

“The branch at Church Street reopened shortly after the hurricane,” Coy pointed out as she argued that everything customers need is available there.

One man said Christmas won’t be the same without badly damaged MegaMart Catherine Hall.