Next Steps For Whole Foods Project In The Works

ST. CHARLES, IL — Bringing a premier grocer to the former Blue Goose has been the main request city officials have received since the Blue Goose closed last year, Mayor Lora Vitek said last week. And last week, she said she was "so excited" to announce Whole Foods will be filling that space at 300 S. Second St.

The space has been vacant since Blue Goose closed last winter, and it's unclear, as of this point, when the new Whole Foods will open.

On Thursday, Whole Food representatives said they could not provide any details on when the grocery store would officially be up and running in St. Charles — and also did not have details to share regarding next steps for transforming the Blue Goose into a Whole Foods.

"We don’t have a statement or details to share on timing, but I can confirm that we do have a store in development at that location," Rachel Malish, a public relations representative for Whole Foods Market, told Patch in an email response.

Fort Union, a regional development commercial specializing in grocery anchors, recently bought the property and obtained the lease agreement with Whole Foods Market, city officials announced last week.

The development plan includes substantial improvements to the building, a reconstruction and resurfacing of the parking lot and the completion of the First Street streetscape, according to a news release from the city of St. Charles. Patch.com reached out to city officials on Wednesday to see if any upcoming city council or commission votes are planned for the project, but has not yet heard back.

In a video message last week, St. Charles Mayor Lora Vitek said she's "so excited" Whole Foods will be coming to town.

"Filling this space with a premier grocer is the number one request from the community since the Blue Goose closed," Vitek said. In March 2022, the Blue Goose, which opened in 1928, closed its doors for good. .

"The Blue Goose has given St. Charles everything it has to give," Blue Goose Market President and CEO Paul Lencioni said in a video message posted on Facebook prior to the grocery store's closing last year.

Developer Matt Hendy said he's grateful to be partnering with the St. Charles community to spearhead "this tremendous project."

"We are also honored by the trust the Lencioni Family placed in us regarding the legacy of their property. The addition of Whole Foods Market to this region will be a benefit for all," he said in a statement.

City officials say the addition of Whole Foods "represents a significant milestone in meeting the community's need for a downtown grocery store. This development will enhance convenience, accessibility, and choice for residents and visitors, while also attracting additional foot traffic and supporting other local businesses in the downtown area."

Whole Foods currently has seven grocery stores in the Chicago area, including locations in Deerfield, Northbrook, Park Ridge, Elmhurst, Schaumburg, Vernon Hills and Kildeer.