Petition to save beloved North Bay Whole Foods launched

(KRON) — The North Bay community has launched an online petition to save a Marin County Whole Foods that’s one of the oldest in the country. The Mill Valley Whole Foods was reportedly shut down in July for maintenance.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, it was determined that more extensive repairs were required than originally anticipated and Whole Foods decided to make the closure permanent. The store first opened in a former Quonset hut back in 1989 as one of the nationwide chain’s first stores.

“For over three decades, this store has been more than a grocery store — it has been a community hub, a place with character, and an essential resource for local families, seniors, and workers,” the petition said. The location on Miller Avenue, “still stands out for its welcoming staff, well-stocked shelves, and the quirky beloved Quonset hut design that gives it soul,” the petition continued.

The petition, which at the time of this writing has 1,417 signatures, urges “Whole Foods and Amazon to listen to the community: reinvest in and reopen the Miller Avenue store instead of closing it permanently.”

“By signing this petition, you’re standing up for local jobs sustainability, convenience, and the unique character that makes Mill Valley special,” the petition added.

Supporters of keeping the store open argue the Miller Avenue location is cleaner, friendlier, and carries items the nearby Blithedale location does not. They also spoke of the store’s convenience and walkability, along with the historical value of the store being housed in a Quonset hut “with its post-WWII history.

Quonset huts are prefabricated steel, semi-circular structures that were mass produced during the Second World War.

The announced closure of the Mill Valley location comes after another Bay Area Whole Foods in Cupertino was cleared to reopen following a months-long shutdown due to a vermin infestation.