Yesterday was a sad day for us Ashevillians. Asheville-based natural foods grocery store Earth Fare (66 Westgate Pkwy.) announced they’re closing the doors of each of their 50 locations in 10 states. This makes Earth Fare the third U.S. grocer in recent weeks to shut down or seek a buyer. The grocery store plans to shut down operations completely in within two to four weeks, and they’ll be holding going-out-of-business sales, which will even include store fixtures. You’ll want to go ahead and cash in your rewards points so you don’t lose them.

Since 1975, Earth Fare has been an Asheville institution, providing both individuals and restaurants sustainable, organic, and local wares, bulk goods, natural supplements + more. The grocer boasts the highest-quality food standards in the grocery industry, as evidenced by their Food Philosophy, which pledges their foods are free from 140 ingredients, including antibiotics, artificial sweeteners + added hormones. Personally, I remember I got teary eyed the first time I took my daughter there with me because of the sweet memories I had of going there with my own mama. Earth Fare cites financial stress as a cause of its closure.

Today, Asheville is recognized as a health food destination, and we can, in part, thank the pioneering Earth Fare for that — they were Asheville’s first health-food store. Back then, though, they went by a different moniker: Dinner for the Earth (at one point, they even operated where the Moog Factory is now). In 1993, they changed their name to Earth Fare and in 1997, they opened their second store in Charleston, S.C. Their expansion continued from there: by 2007, they had 13 stores; by 2015, they were up to 37 throughout the South + Midwest.

Through their expansion, the biz was acquired by Monitor Clipper Partners, a Massachusetts-based private equity firm in 2007. Then in 2012, private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners acquired an 80 percent interest in the company, taking over primary ownership.

Asheville won’t be the same without you, Earth Fare. Fare thee well. 🙏

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