Vidalia Super Foods owner Ricky Morris said several factors, not just the new Wal-Mart, caused his business to close.

“We made a business decision to close,” Morris said.

The Super Foods opened in November 2003, and closed Dec. 19 after three years.

Another factor in the store’s closing, Morris said, was Natchez’s International Paper Factory closing.

“IP was a big hit to us and of course, Wal-Mart didn’t help,” Morris said.

IP, which employed over 600 Miss-Lou residents, closed in July 2003.

Morris said Vidalia’s elecricity rates were also a factor to the store’s closing.

In August, a press release from the Secretary of State’s office showed Vidalia had the highest utility rates in the state.

Though he is not happy about the store’s closing, Morris said he did not want to blame the city.

“I don’t want to cause any sour grapes,” Morris said. “(Other) opporunities may come up, and things may change.”

Mayor Hyram Copeland said the city hates to see Vidalia Super Foods go and that the city would do everything it could to help the existing businesses.

“I believe I could count on my hand how many retail stores (we have) in Vidalia and we need a more,” Copeland said. “We need to do what we can to promote more retail business to the Miss-Lou.”