Rats shutting down a grocery store are never a good thing — unless regulars from that market end up boosting businesses in the surrounding area.
The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health shut down the Cupertino Whole Foods at the end of April after finding rodent droppings in the receiving bay, deli, juice bar and under the sink. The closure of the site, one of the largest Amazon-owned grocery stores in the West Valley, has increased the foot traffic at some neighboring businesses.
Sameer Shah, co-owner of Voyager Craft Coffee, said his business down the street from the Whole Foods has seen a 5% increase in customers since the closure. The local coffee shop offers signature drinks, including ube and cherry blossom flavored lattes, along with pastries.
Even with the uptick, Shah said he’d like to see the Whole Foods reopen regardless of its status as a “giant chain with a coffee program that’s a little more nameless.”
“From a selfish standpoint, it’s great,” he told San José Spotlight. “We can get more foot traffic, but I think at the end of the day, we firmly believe that (with) more options that exist in the public, our neighbors can basically make a good choice for what fits their life and their situation. We’re really all about that.”
Health inspectors closed the location at 20955 Stevens Creek Blvd. April 22 and it’s now surrounded with green fencing. The grocery giant’s goal is to “reopen as quickly as possible,” but its highest priority is to “fully address and remedy the issue” before asking for another health inspection, a spokesperson told San José Spotlight.
Tasty Pizza – Indian & Italian is across the street from the Whole Foods and is feeding more customers since Whole Foods closed. Sahil Desai, who’s worked there for about a year, said he’s seen a few more De Anza College students, who would normally grab a slice of pizza from Whole Foods, pop in for lunch. The restaurant features traditional pies alongside specialized creations, including paneer and butter chicken pizzas.
Other businesses haven’t seen much change.
Emmanuel Guerrero, who’s worked at Ike’s Love & Sandwiches for about three years, said there hasn’t been an increase in customers. The sandwich shop is next door to Tasty Pizza. He said more customers appear to be concerned about food safety and cleanliness because of the sandwich shop’s proximity to the Whole Foods. The restaurant is taking extra safety precautions.
“(Rats) gotta go somewhere, right?” Guerrero told San José Spotlight. “We set up more rat traps and … we haven’t seen anything so far.”
Other Whole Foods locations across Santa Clara County recently passed their inspections. Stores in San Jose, Sunnyvale and Campbell were inspected in the past two months and received passing grades.
Deborah Feng, CEO of the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, said residents should buy from smaller businesses during the closure, such as Cupertino Market and Marina Food, and local restaurants.
“I would encourage people to, if they can, go out to eat now they can’t get groceries,” Feng told San José Spotlight. “Cupertino has a fabulous choice of international cuisine.”
Contact Annalise Freimarck at [email protected] or follow @annalise_ellen on X.
