Ridgewood’s vibe is shifting.
Residents of the gentrifying neighborhood are upset about a new development: Whole Foods, the Amazon‑owned grocery chain, is moving into town and could become the first of its kind in Queens.
According to city filings, Whole Foods signed a 15‑year lease in October for the old Beaux‑Arts bank building at 55‑60 Myrtle Ave. The space, which once housed a Rite Aid that closed this year, spans 28,000 square feet on the first floor of the three‑story structure.
If the plan goes ahead, Ridgewood would host the chain’s inaugural Queens store, with another location slated for Long Island City in 2028 and none yet in Staten Island or the Bronx.
Some locals have voiced their frustration, fearing that the new store could cement a gentrification trend and threaten the neighborhood’s eclectic character.
“Asad Dandia, a historian and walking‑tour guide, tweeted, ‘Oh man. The Brooklynization of Queens has begun.’”
Another X user wrote, “A Ridgewood Whole Foods… It might be over in ways I’ve never thought possible,” while yet another called it a “Peak gentrification indicator.”
Proposals for protests have surfaced. One Reddit user posted on X, “Long‑shot here but I really hate this so much. so many unique and amazing local businesses are going to suffer because of this. It needs to be stopped,” and added, “Real people who love Ridgewood don’t live here because they like corporate slop places.”
The block already hosts several small, mom‑and‑pop grocers, plus a Food Bazaar a five‑minute walk away. It’s unclear when the new Whole Foods will open, but the lease was signed last fall.
CoStar estimates the rental rate for the building at up to $47 per square foot, per a report by Crain’s that first covered the agreement.
Ridgewood has been on the rise, even earning StreetEasy’s January title of No. 1 “NYC neighborhood to watch” after drawing the most search activity among all five boroughs in a single year.
Whole Foods has not yet responded to our request for comment.
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