Whole Foods to close two Toronto stores, open a new location next year

Whole Foods Market will close its Yonge & Sheppard and Leaside stores in Toronto by Aug. 22, but the grocer remains committed to expanding its footprint in Canada.

“Like any retail business, we regularly evaluate each of our stores and make decisions to position the company for long-term success,” said a Whole Foods Market spokesperson. “We are actively exploring new sites to expand our footprint in Canada and look forward to opening more stores, including a new Toronto location on King Street West, which is expected to open next year.”

Whole Foods Market confirmed that customers in the area would still be served by its Yorkville and Markham stores, and it will support team members impacted by the closures to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Details on the King West store will be announced closer to the launch. Whole Foods Market has more than 100 new stores in development and confirmed to Canadian Grocer that it has no plans at this time to close any additional locations in Canada.