As expected, Tops Markets closed on its purchase of 79 bankrupt Penn Traffic stores Friday.

“We are very eager and excited to begin working with store managers and associates to best serve the grocery shopping needs of our new neighbors and customers,” said Frank Curci, Tops’ president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

All stores will remain open and operating through a 30-day transition services agreement made with Penn Traffic. Over that period, Tops will evaluate each store more closely and is expected to close or sell “a small handful” of them, Curci said.

Tops was awarded the winning bid Monday on the bankrupt grocery chain, which includes 13 Quality markets in Western New York.

Penn Traffic’s area stores were in Attica, Dunkirk, Ellicottville, Falconer, Frewsburg, Jamestown, Lakewood, Lockport, Mayville, Randolph, Silver Creek, Westfield and Amherst. It also operated P&C and BiLo stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire.