The Fresh Market to close Valrico store
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Jul 11, 2024

The Fresh Market will close its Valrico store as its lease on the property winds down, leaving another major vacancy in a suburban shopping center.

The North Carolina-based specialty grocer said it is closing the Valrico store and one in Birmingham, Alabama, as leases in both locations wind down. It's not known when the Valrico store will close.

The grocer has locations in South Tampa, Carrollwood and St. Petersburg. A store in Seminole is among 12 openings planned for later this year, a spokesperson said.

"We are committed to supporting our affected team members by facilitating transfers to nearby The Fresh Market locations, and for those unable to transfer, we will provide severance packages to ease their transition," a spokesperson for the grocer said in a statement. "While closing a store is never easy, The Fresh Market is on a growth trajectory, with plans to open 12 new stores in the second half of this year, reaffirming our commitment to serving our guests with high-quality products and exceptional service."

The Fresh Market's Valrico landlord, Kite Realty, already has one vacant anchor box in the Lithia Crossings shopping center. SteinMart, a Jacksonville-based department store that closed all locations in 2020, left behind a 36,200-square-foot anchor box. When it closes the Valrico store, the Fresh Market will vacate 22,383 square feet.

The shopping center across the street from Litha Crossing is anchored by a Publix Super Markets Inc.

Indianapolis-based Kite Realty is a real estate investment trust that specializes in shopping centers and mixed-use properties. It owns three other shopping centers in Tampa: Walters Crossing, Bayport Commons and Northdale Promenade.