Earth Fare to Shutter 3 Stores

Earth Fare will close two stores in the Atlanta area and one in Columbus, Ohio, at the end of the month, according to the Asheville, N.C.-based natural food grocer.

"As part of our accelerated growth plan, Earth Fare continues to execute its strategic real estate pipeline and plans to operate more than 55 stores in the coming year," the company noted in a statement provided to Progressive Grocer. "Growing the right way requires us to occasionally make changes to our existing store network. Accordingly, we made the decision to close our locations in Columbus, Ohio; Peachtree Corners, Ga.; and Emory Point in Atlanta ... because the real estate challenges with these locations have proven too difficult to overcome. These three stores will close on March 31.”

 The grocer added: "As Earth Fare continues on its mission to provide healthy food to as many people as possible, we remain focused on an accelerated, strategic expansion. We are very excited about Earth Fare's future, and look forward to updating you on our progress in the months and years to come."