By Sara Beth Williams–
On the heels of an incoming Grocery Outlet to the same shopping center, the Citrus Heights brick-and-mortar grocer Amazon Fresh officially closed its doors, after first opening in November 2024.
A visit to the store on Friday, March 13, its last schedule day of operation, found that the store was already shuttered for customers, although employees could still be seen working on the inside. A sign on the entrance read that the store was permanently closed.
A week before closing, several shelves, end caps, and refrigerators were observed empty, with scattered food and hygiene items on sale, marked by an orange price tag, with “SALE” in red letters.
Amazon announced plans in late January that they would be closing dozens of Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores, including three in the Sacramento region.
Most locations closed in early February, with the exception of its California locations, which should “remain open longer to comply with state requirements.” Some locations will be converted into Whole Foods Market locations, and each location will be evaluated individually.
A request for comment to the Sunrise MarketPlace regarding whether Amazon Fresh would become a Whole Foods was not returned before press time.
The major online retailer, which took over Whole Foods in 2017, has seen strong and positive sales growth and expansion since its Whole Food Market acquisition and plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods Market stores over the next few years.
Local Amazon Fresh locations impacted include locations in Elk Grove, Roseville and Citrus Heights. The Citrus Heights location opened on Nov. 7, 2024.
