It seemed like a number of my favorite places closed in 2019 and it seems the trend is continuing into the new decade. Wednesday I went to Johnson City for one last visit to one of these places, a store that feels like an old friend, Earth Fare.
For those who don't know Earth Fare was an organic grocery chain based out of Asheville, NC. I have been to many locations, including the big store in Asheville, but the one closest to my heart was the one in Johnson City. This Earth Fare store is located in the University Plaza on State of Franklin Road near ETSU. It had been open since 2008 and occupied the location of the White's Supermarket I shopped at while at University.
While at the time Earth Fare opened, I was living in Georgia it was nice to have a place to shop when I was in Johnson City like I was used to in Atlanta. When I moved back to Tennessee in 2015 it was somewhere I could go to get items I couldn't get somewhere else. Oh, it shared the shopping center with two other favorites of mine, One Stop Wines & Liquor, and Daylight Donuts. I heard about two weeks ago that not only was the Earth Fare location in Johnson City was closing, but the company was shuttering all locations and declaring bankruptcy. I am not going to get into all the stuff of why (check here, here & here for that), but there were a lot of unhappy people, including myself.
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| Photo Bristol Herald Courier |
While at the time Earth Fare opened, I was living in Georgia it was nice to have a place to shop when I was in Johnson City like I was used to in Atlanta. When I moved back to Tennessee in 2015 it was somewhere I could go to get items I couldn't get somewhere else. Oh, it shared the shopping center with two other favorites of mine, One Stop Wines & Liquor, and Daylight Donuts. I heard about two weeks ago that not only was the Earth Fare location in Johnson City was closing, but the company was shuttering all locations and declaring bankruptcy. I am not going to get into all the stuff of why (check here, here & here for that), but there were a lot of unhappy people, including myself.
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| Photo: Daylight Donuts Facebook |
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| Photo: WJHL |
Speaking of closing another one that took me by surprise was my discovery that the Perkins Restaurant & Bakery. While I haven't eaten there in decades I did frequent it in my college days, mostly very late night (or early morning take your pic), as it and Waffle House were the only places open 24/7.
Unlike Earth Fare, it is only the Johnson City location that has closed in the area as the Kingsport restaurant is still open.
That is not all, the first Vietnamese restaurant I ate at in Johnson City, V's Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine. It was located next to Food City on State of Franklin Road. I first ate here in May of 2017, it was good. But the quality had dropped since my last visit. Also, I had found an even better Pho place in Gray called KALM Bistro.
That is not all, the first Vietnamese restaurant I ate at in Johnson City, V's Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine. It was located next to Food City on State of Franklin Road. I first ate here in May of 2017, it was good. But the quality had dropped since my last visit. Also, I had found an even better Pho place in Gray called KALM Bistro.
Anyway, to end of a positive note, I wrote about the closing of one of my favorite restaurants, the Bean Barn in Greeneville, last year. Well, I heard and then read that it had reopened in December... well, I know where I will be going soon.
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