Bruno's Supermarkets LLC, the parent company of Bruno's and Food World, said it is closing 22 of its 40 in-store pharmacies throughout Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The locations that are closing will sell their inventories and prescriptions to the CVS pharmacy chain, according to Kent Moore, ceo, Bruno's Supermarkets LLC.

"We are closing these pharmacies because of their consistently low performance over the last several years and the lack of prospect for turning them around," Moore said. The Birmingham, Ala.-based grocer has not made a decision regarding the future use of the pharmacy space in those stores affected by the closings.

Moore said CVS plans to interview the 60 employees affected by the closings and any who are not hired by CVS will be offered a severance package by Bruno's.