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Former Yass IGA owner Steve Smith announced last Wednesday that he had sold the store.

The shop would be closing that day "for a period of time" to reopen under new ownership, he said.

How long that would be was unclear until Metcash released a statement on Monday.

"We sincerely apologise to loyal customers for the current inconvenience and look forward to providing the Yass community with an improved IGA store soon," a Metcash spokesperson said.

"Customers with loyalty cards will be able to redeem any remaining monetary value in due course.

"We are also working with employees of the store to help find them suitable roles in the future to the extent possible," the spokesperson said.

Yass IGA customers were given five hours' warning that the store would be closing last Wednesday. Those who held IGA loyalty cards were unsure if their money and points would be lost if not spent beforehand.

Some Yass IGA employees found out at the same time as customers that the store would be closing.

An employee said they were unsure whether their job was secure.

"We won't know until we meet the new owner," the employee speculated.

Yass IGA customers have been frustrated for months with shelves sparsely stocked at Yass IGA since Easter.

Essential items such as milk and bread weren't available to purchase.

One shopper - who wished not to be named, but who the Tribune verified - previously said they used to visit the IGA once or twice a week but were forced to shop elsewhere.

"I was never interested in his (former owner Steve Smith's) gimmicks - dog beds, cheese cakes ... - I just wanted my IGA to be like a normal IGA, one that stocks ... essentials," the shopper said.

"Now I either pick those things up in Canberra on my way home from work or go to Woolworths or ALDI locally."

Mr Smith said in last week's announcement that, "New owners may potentially remodel and would like the store empty."