Whole Foods is closing its store on Miller Avenue in Mill Valley but leaving its East Blithedale Avenue store open a mile away.
“What I’m told from Whole Foods and Amazon leadership is that it just isn’t working to have two stores in Mill Valley that close together,” said Todd Cusimano, Mill Valley’s city manager. “It doesn’t work in their business model.”
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A spokesperson for the company said, “We value our relationship with the Mill Valley community and look forward to continuing to serve our customers at our nearby Blithedale store.”
The employees at the Miller Avenue store have been transferred to other nearby markets, the spokesperson said.
For more than a month, questions and rumors have swirled about the fate of the store.
In July, a rat infestation closed the market. Inventory was discarded. An extensive cleanup ensued. Fencing was set up and signs said “temporarily closed.” The property also underwent a roof repair that finished this week.
When the market did not reopen, rumors ensued about its closure. A petition was launched that as of Tuesday had more than 1,600 signers.
“Help us save our neighborhood Whole Foods,” it said. “For over three decades, this store has been more than just a grocery store — it has been a community hub, a place with character, and an essential resource for local families, seniors, and workers.”
“I signed the petition because my son goes to school nearby and it’s really convenient,” said Katie Cooper, who was putting groceries in her car at the East Blithedale Avenue store.
“I get it — business. But I thought maybe they still might be there,” said Jennifer Ullstrom, who was pushing a baby carriage with groceries outside the shuttered Miller Avenue location and also signed the petition. “It’s a neighborhood grocery store.”
In recent weeks, Cusimano said city officials have asked company executives and the property owner what they could do to reopen the market.
The company told the city late last week that the store would not, he said. One rumor, that local permit requirements were an impediment, was false.
“They closed the store and had work to do,” Cusimano said. “The building is up to code. There are no issues. There are no other permits pending.”
On Tuesday, the roof work was complete and the store had renovations and new lighting. Shelves and food cases were set up, clean and neatly wrapped in plastic. Self-checkout stations were in place. It appeared poised to reopen.
However, Whole Foods confirmed additional upgrades would be costly and factored them into the decision to permanently close the store.
The store’s lease runs for several more years and city officials do not want the building to sit idle.
“Can we find somebody to move in that would be acceptable to Whole Foods and Amazon and the property owner?” said Cusimano, referring to the parent company of the chain. “Our concern is that it doesn’t just sit there dormant.”
“It’s closing. We can’t stop that,” he said. “But what are our options? Can we move in a non-competitive grocery store? Is there another use that would be exciting to the landlord and the community?”
When Whole Foods opened its second Mill Valley store on East Blithedale Avenue, it did so to prevent a competitor from moving in, according to the city. On Tuesday, several Whole Foods shoppers said they would welcome that chain in Mill Valley.
“Those are the two places that I shop, either Trader Joe’s or here,” said Faith Ann Hodges, who was putting groceries into her car at the East Blithedale Avenue store. “I bet most of the people who live in the area would like that.”