Whole Foods is coming to Ridgewood-and residents aren't thrilled

"The Amazon-owned grocery chain has signed a 15-year lease for the former Beaux-Arts bank building at 55-60 Myrtle Avenue, according to city records filed last week and . The 28,000-square-foot store is set to take over the entire first floor of the three-story building, which was previously home to a Rite Aid that closed earlier this year. If it opens as planned, it will be Whole Foods' first operating location in the borough, ahead of a separate Long Island City store slated for 2028."

"News of the deal quickly sparked a wave of frustration on social media, where longtime residents and Ridgewood loyalists framed the arrival as a major sign of peak gentrification. "Oh man. The Brooklynization of Queens has begun," Asad Dandia, a historian and walking tour guide, . Others were less subtle, calling the store a "gentrification indicator" and lamenting that "a Ridgewood Whole Foods... it might be over.""

"The concerns aren't entirely abstract. Myrtle Avenue already has several independent grocers, including one just two doors down from the former bank building and another directly across the street. The nearest large chain, Food Bazaar, is a five-minute walk away. Critics worry that a Whole Foods, a national brand known for premium pricing, could squeeze out smaller businesses that have long been neighborhood staples."

Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, has signed a 15-year lease for the former Beaux-Arts bank building at 55-60 Myrtle Avenue in Ridgewood. The 28,000-square-foot store will occupy the entire first floor of the three-story building and would be the borough's first operating Whole Foods if it opens as planned, ahead of a Long Island City location slated for 2028. News of the deal generated strong reactions on social media, with longtime residents expressing concern about gentrification. Myrtle Avenue already hosts several independent grocers and a nearby Food Bazaar. Critics warn that a premium-priced national chain could displace smaller neighborhood businesses.

Read at Time Out New York