After six years, the Englewood Whole Foods grocery store located at 832 W. 63rd Street has decided to close its doors. The store announced it will be closing six of its 530 stores across the nation. The store located in DePaul University Welcome Center in Lincoln Park is also slated to close. There is not currently a specific date for the closings, according to a spokesperson for the store.
As we continue to position Whole Foods Market for long-term success, we regularly evaluate the performance and growth potential of each of our stores, and we have made the difficult decision to close six stores.
The decision comes two days after Whole Foods opened a 66,000-square-foot store at 3 W. Chicago Avenue inside the One Chicago high rise. The spokesperson for the grocer did not release any information about the financial performance of the closing stores. Amazon, the owner of Whole Foods, announced its first quarterly loss since 2015, on Thursday.
On Friday, shoppers expressed their shock concerning the closing of the Englewood location. The store was more than a grocer, it was a central hub for events such as wine tastings, community meetings, and more. Whole Foods is a healthy lunch option for those who work in the area. Once the grocer closes, Lashay Shambley’s only lunch options will be Popeye’s, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s. She is concerned about these unhealthy options.
Local Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th) stated on Friday that the closing of the store was a “devastating” announcement that “blindsided” her. She accused the store of “reneging” its commitment to the community.
This is disappointing news that Whole Foods has decided to close the doors on our only grocery store of fresh foods and fresh produce. When I think about other communities on the North Side in Streeterville and River North, they have multiple grocery stores. … From Englewood to Edgewater, we should have the same opportunities, the same resources, the same retail opportunities as any other any other no matter what our ZIP code is.
Since Whole Foods opened, an Aldi and a Go Green Community Fresh market opened on the same block. These stores, however, do not offer a wide range of options like the full-service grocer. Some residents are not surprised the grocer is closing its doors. Many have complained the store is too expensive for the area. One resident said the store has consistently pulled back on its promise to lower prices.
Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) said she was not surprised the store was closing as the store had been dubbed “Whole Paycheck.” She said it was expensive and residents “did not shop there.”
Asiaha Butler, president of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood stated: “Limiting access to fresh and healthy food is food apartheid, So, to have these things swiped away and not even have any notice so we could be somewhat engaged is a real blow to the community, and many people are just devastated.”
The Englewood Whole Foods will close in the upcoming months. The DePaul store will be closed on May 6, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: Englewood Whole Foods to close after just 6 years in neighborhood, leaving few healthy options; by Cheyanne M. Daniels, Fran Spielman
Chicago Tribune: Whole Foods to close two Chicago stores, including Englewood location it opened with much fanfare; by Talia Soglin, Brian J. Rogal, Gregory Pratt and María Paula Mijares Torres
WGN 9: Whole Foods closing Englewood location after less than 6 years; by Andy Koval, Rob Sneed
Featured Image Courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of artismac’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
