Whole Foods Market is closing its store in Encinitas and eight other stores nationwide following sluggish sales growth.
The store on Coast Highway in old Encinitas will close by April, just six years after it opened.
“In this increasingly competitive marketplace, we are committed to taking every step necessary to improve comps and deliver higher returns for our shareholders,” said John Mackey, co-founder and chief executive officer of the organic and natural foods retailer.
On Wednesday the company reported that comparable store sales decreased 2.4 percent year-over-year in its first fiscal quarter.
The store closings are the first for the company since the Great Recession.
