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Boutique grocery store Wildwood Market announced Monday its plans to permanently close.
According to a Facebook post authored by co-owners Craig and Emily Sanders, Wildwood Market will begin liquidation on Jan. 23 with an expected closing date in early February.
The Fountain Square store opened in December 2014, expressing a mission to share and spread the “DIY foodie spirit.” An accompanying flower shop, Blooms by Wildwood, also will close.
“Running a neighborhood grocery store isn’t a walk in the park,” the husband-and-wife team wrote in the social media announcement. “The hours are long. The margins are thin. Competing with national chains is a never-ending struggle.”
Craig Sanders grew up on a farm in Putnam County and he previously worked in sales at Traders Point Creamery in Zionsville.
The owners of Wildwood Market mentioned the challenges of the pandemic as a factor in the decision to close:
“The tough days began to outnumber the good ones. More concerning, the demands of the business began to clash with our priorities as a family. That’s when we knew it was time to close the book on a very special chapter of our lives.”
Before Wildwood Market opened, a used-car dealership last occupied the building at 1015 Virginia Ave.
Attempts to contact the owners Monday were unsuccessful.
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Wildwood has been such a great part of the Fountain Fletcher community. I’m proud of what they did on that little corner. It’s sad to see it end, but I’m thankful for all they they did to build a community around their business.
The pandemic continues to cause havoc for small business owners and everyone is still trying to claw back to what existed before 2020. Revenues, expenses, staffing, and forecasting have all changed so much. Margins for small business owners are razor thin and harder to manage than ever. Every input is more expensive and customers are incredibly price sensitive. Trying to tune everything back in without sacrificing quality and service can sometimes feel like an endless losing battle.
Support local all that you can. Celebrate the businesses you love. Tell your friends about your favorite places.
Incredible grocery. It’s very sad to see them close, but these sorts of ventures are hard to sustain given the intense demands on the owner. They can feel incredibly good about what they accomplished.
Really sorry to see you go. Thanks for being there in the first place.