Ridgewood Faces Change

Residents in Ridgewood are feeling uneasy. There’s a growing sense of frustration over the arrival of Whole Foods, the “corporate underdog” that’s set to open what could be its first location in Queens.

The Amazon-owned grocery chain has recently secured a 15-year lease for the historic Beaux-Arts bank building at 55-60 Myrtle Avenue. This information came to light with the filing of documents to the city on Wednesday.

The new store marks a significant step for Whole Foods, as it would be the chain’s first in Queens, with another planned for Long Island City in 2028. As of now, there are no locations in Staten Island or the Bronx.

Occupying the entire 28,000-square-foot ground floor of the former bank, the Ridgewood shop replaces a Rite Aid that closed earlier this year.

However, not everyone is pleased with this development. Some locals express concern that this could exacerbate gentrification in the area, jeopardizing its unique vibe. “Oh, the Brooklynization of Queens has begun,” one historian noted on social media.

Responses on platforms like X range from skepticism over what this means for the neighborhood to outright protests against the chain. One user lamented the potential loss of local businesses, saying, “We need to stop this,” while another added, “Real people who love Ridgewood don’t live here because they like the corporate slopes.”

Interestingly, the block already has a handful of independent grocery stores, with the nearest major chain, Food Bazaar, just a short walk away. It’s unclear when Whole Foods plans to open, although the lease was signed back in October.

Real estate experts estimate that rents for the building could climb to around $47 per square foot. Despite its popularity rising—StreetEasy recently named Ridgewood the top “New York City Neighborhood to Watch”—many locals remain apprehensive about what this change could mean for their community.

Whole Foods has not publicly commented on the situation.