Are the rumors actually true?

Word on the street is a now-closed health food store near Kalamazoo, Michigan could soon see new life as a Whole Foods grocery store, but what are the odds?

Get our free mobile app

Don't get me wrong, I'm an Aldi gal at heart but I must admit the thought of having our own Whole Foods store here in the greater Kalamazoo area doesn't not sound appealing. I'd definitely pop in there from time to time to shop, wouldn't you?

How The Rumor Started

Has it even been a year since Earth Fare has been closed? Located in Portage, Michigan according to their Facebook page the store was in the final days of its closing sale on July 15, 2023.

Not long after the health food store shuttered its doors for good rumors started up that the trendy grocery chain Whole Foods would soon take its place at 5070 S Westnedge Ave.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Rumors really began to pick up when a little further down the road the former Bed Bath & Beyond started getting a facelift. Of course we now know that's going to be a Burlington location but locals on Reddit couldn't help but mention the empty Earth Fare as well:

• "'Whole Paycheck' is going in the old Earth Fare"
• "I was hoping that the Earth Fare space would become a Fresh Market. Love their stores!"
• "Also heard Whole Foods is going where Earth Fare was."

So, What's It Really Going to Be?

In fact, none of these guesses were correct. The empty Earth Fare building in Portage will not be a Fresh Market nor a Whole Foods but:

Aldi

As reported by MLive,

The German company has 110 locations in Michigan, including two in Kalamazoo and one in Portage at 6291 S. Westnedge Ave...The new location is expected to open this fall, the company said via email, but an exact date is not available yet.

There go our hopes and dreams!

However, I fear the health food competition is too fierce in Kalamazoo to warrant a Whole Foods. We've got Trader Joe's, Fresh Thyme, the Grand Rapids Whole Foods location, and Sawall Health Foods "the oldest family-owned and operated natural foods store in the United States."