(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Amazon’s decision to close the Whole Foods store in Englewood came as a shock to some who were involved in getting the supermarket opened on the South Side six years ago.
Cecile DeMello, executive director of Teamwork Englewood, was the Community Engagement Specialist for the Whole Foods when it opened. The organization’s mission is to improve the quality of life in the South Side neighborhood.
16th Ward Ald. Stephanie Coleman said she was "blindsided" to learn Friday morning about the decision Whole Food parent company Amazon made to close two Chicago stores, including the Englewood site, as part of a larger restructuring. Coleman said she and the Lightfoot Administration will work hard to find another grocer for the location.
Whole Foods said economics were to blame.
“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. We are supporting impacted Team Members through this transition and expect that all interested, eligible Team Members will find positions at our other locations,” a Whole Foods spokesperson told the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.
DeMello said the Whole Foods mission was not supposed to be about the bottom line but about bringing healthy food access to the community.
There was some skepticism when it opened that the store would be unaffordable, but DeMello said that store kept prices down.
She believes there was a “perception” problem, and now she’s concerned other retailers might be discouraged.
A Whole Foods in Lincoln Park also will be closed.
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