Huntersville Earth Fare Store Closing: Report

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — Earth Fare will soon be permanently closing doors at all its North Carolina locations, including stores in Charlotte and Huntersville, the organic and natural food grocer said Monday.

The Asheville-based chain operates 50 stores in 10 states, including 13 stores in North Carolina.

Inventory liquidation will begin immediately at all the stores, Progressive Grocer reported.

According to the Charlotte Observer, the company blamed an inability to refinance its debt as the basis for the widespread closure.

“As a result, Earth Fare is not in a financial position to continue to operate on a go-forward basis,” it said in a statement Monday, the newspaper reported. “As such, we have made the difficult, but necessary decision to commence inventory liquidation sales while we continue to engage in a process to find potential suitors for our stores.”

The Charlotte metro grocery market is highly competitive and one of the top four in the nation, reporting a 38 percent growth in the past five years, the newspaper said.

Here’s a list of Earth Fare locations in the Charlotte metro:

• 721 Governor Morrison, Charlotte
• 12235 N. Community House Road, Charlotte
• 14124 Steele Creek Road, Charlotte
• 14021 Boren Street, Huntersville
• 8885 Christenbury Pkwy, Concord
• 2351 Len Patterson Rd, Fort Mill, SC
• 725 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC

What do you think about the news of Earth Fare closures? Sound off in the comment section!