CHEF'STORE, a wholesale grocery store designed for restaurant owners, is closing its first and only Atlanta area store at 6337 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. The store, which celebrated its grand opening on February 8, 2025, will close effective November 20, according to an employee at the store.
When CHEF'STORE debuted, it opened in place of a short-lived Lidl grocery store in the center known today as City Center Crossing. Lidl, a German discount grocer similar to Aldi, which continues to operate a store across the street, opened in the center in early 2021 but closed its store in July 2022 citing "lackluster sales." The nearly 28,000 square foot store was previously part of a Marshalls before its relocation to nearby Hammond Exchange.
The store's location as described on its website by a clearly non-local copywriter "Nestled across the road from Sandy Springs City Hall lies our CHEF’STORE wholesale warehouse. Conveniently located off major routes like the Perimeter I-285 and Highway 19."
The Sandy Springs store has started its liquidation sale with all in stock merchandise reduced in price (5%-20%) ahead of their closure.
The company is also closing stores in Clarkston, WA (after about six years in business), and in Visalia, CA (after about four and a half years in business), according to published reports. It's unclear if there are other unreported closures.
"Poor financial performance" was cited by the company as the primary reason for the store closures.
CHEF'STORE is owned by powerful food distributor, US Foods. Based in Rosemont, Illinois, US Foods (NYSE: USFD), operates a vast restaurant supply network but has quietly been growing its retail grocery business. The company launched CHEF'STORE in Charlotte in 2012 and purchased and rebranded 72 Smart Foodservice Warehouse stores in 2021. Today the company operates 97 stores from coast to coast.
The "synergies" it predicted the cash & carry retail business would supply its larger broadline business seem not to have materialized with the company announcing in June 2024 it was "exploring strategic alternatives" (i.e. it's looking to sell) the CHEF'STORE division.
US Foods positioned CHEF'STORE as a compelling value-driven alternative to traditional warehouse clubs and suitable for restaurant owners and home chefs alike. We visited the store a couple of times and while we don't own a restaurant, we compared pricing and spoke to several restaurant owners and all concluded that the value proposition was just not all that compelling. They had a few "deals," but not enough to change existing shopping habits.
CHEF'STORE is not alone in looking to capture restaurant owner business, but their model is unique. The store required no membership or cost to enter but is designed for restaurant owners. Restaurant Depot, based in Whitestone, New York, does not charge a membership fee but customers must apply for membership and prove they are business owners. The company currently operates five Atlanta area locations including those on Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard in Atlanta, Roswell Road in Marietta, Crescent Drive in Norcross, and in Morrow and Buford.
US Foods rival Sysco announced plans in March to acquire 166 unit Jetro Restaurant Depot in a deal valued at $29.1 billion. The deal is expected to close by mid 2027, pending regulatory approvals.
Are you surprised to see CHEF'STORE close its Sandy Springs store? If you live in the area, where do you do the majority of your grocery shopping? What would you like to see open in place of CHEF'STORE in Sandy Springs?
Please share your thoughts below.
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