The Bloomingfoods cooperative board of directors and general manager announced that the Elm Heights location at Second Street and Fess Avenue will close in May.
The Elm Heights store opened in May 2013. After several years of market research, however, the store has underperformed since opening, according to a press release.
The co-op will move commissary kitchen operations currently located on South Washington Street back to the remaining east side and near-west side locations.
Bloomingfoods opened in 1976 and currently has 190 employees, 50 of which work at the affected locations.
Bloomingfoods cannot guarantee that there will be no layoffs due to consolidation, according to a press release.
“Bloomingfoods is a community resource,” Board President Caroline Beebe said. “This was a tough decision, but we think it will do the most good for the most people. It’s better to right size the business than to remain overextended and risk closing altogether.”
Melanie Metzman
