Closing: The tiny Whole Foods Market in Brookkine...block will seem abandoned. (Boston: live, shop)

[bostonguy1960]

(Not Brookkine...Brookline! How do I edit a title? I think I used to be able to do that.)

...

Sad, and surprised, to see in the Boston Globe today that WFM on Beacon Street near Audubon Circle is closing next week. They're also closing five or six others around the country.

Yes, at the time of its opening, it was the smallest in the country (world?). But I enjoyed having it there whenever I was in the area.

It had a bakery and a pizza bar, but no deli unlike other WFMs; a few fresh cut deli products were wrapped and bagged elsewhere then sent to this location. I liked the presence of its sidewalk patio. Now that block, without the store and patio, will have even less life and vitality.

Unlike other WFMs, it never reopened its small salad bar and hot foods bar after closing them in the early pandemic. One staff member told me months ago they were too short-staffed to bring those back.

And isn't Cafe Japonaise bakery still closed (temporary for renovation (?) on the sign posted long ago? ). And empty spaces at Matt O'Leary's bar and Dunkin' are are still there? All on the same side of that block. It'll seem depressing around there.

Hopefully not another bank or phone store to occupy the spot. Or unfortunately, it may be vacant for years?

[bostongymjunkie]

Oh man, believe it or or not this is one of my favorite WF stores in this area. It's tiny but they have enough of everything I usually need. Oddly, the average customer in this store seems much more civilized and less self-centered than many WF I've shopped up and down the east coast. No shopping cart kamikazes. The best part of this place is they always keep the lines moving. I never wait very long and they don't run out of stuff like the other local stores, most of which have terrible service. I also like the outdoor seating here.

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

sad
northeastern cities
are rapidly
in decline
in this corona-v
world of 2022

[bostongymjunkie]

They may be, but people still keep packing in here!

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

They may be, but people still keep packing in here!

No one lives there anymore, it's too crowded.

[bostongymjunkie]

That's true. And the future ain't what it used to be!

[G-fused]

It's an odd space. Too small for most small tpye businesses and too big for a big business. That WF was like a cross between a supermarket and convenience store for a few reasons - no parking was one.

There is demolition going on where Bed Bath & Beyond used to be in Fenway. Wegman's was entertaining that space, then I heard that Shaws was going there. Not sure what will happen but perhaps WF will?

[GeePee]

That stinks. I too really like the WF smaller footprint model stores like this one and the one on Prospect in Central. They are like upsized, upscale bodega's without whip-its and tobacco

[bostongymjunkie]

They have some parking spots in the rear of the building. There are usually parking spots available on Beacon Street somewhere for short term parking. It's not the store a person would use to do weekly or biweekly shopping for a large family but it works for many. Not sure what happened here, but I think staffing became one issue.

[ben young]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

No one lives there anymore, it's too crowded.

LOL thanks Yogi.