Rebecca’s Natural Food Market closing at the end of September

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The Charlottesville community is saying goodbye to a long-standing business.

After nearly 40 years, Rebecca’s Natural Food Market is closing.

Co-owner Normal Dill says he started the store, which is named after his daughter, the same year Whole Foods opened.

“There was just this movement towards trying to have more organic food and healthier food,” Dill said.

Norman and his wife & co-owner, Sue Davis-Dill, say the staff have made the store so special.

“I think, what we have like six people that have been here more than 25 years,” Norman said.

“All of us have decades of knowledge, we put a lot of research into the products that we carry,” Brandon Davis said. “We’re going through the five stages of grief, and our customers are doing that with us, as well.”

“People have been coming to us for years as a source for information, and now I don’t think there really is going to be quite the same thing anywhere,” Susan Dunlap said.

Norman says he’s getting older, and with an impending five-year commitment on the lease, it was time to close. He says there was interest from buys, but they weren’t able to make a deal in time.

Still, Norman remains hopeful the need for this sort of market will be filled.

“I think something’s going to happen that will take the place of what we’re doing,” he said.

The store will close Saturday, September 30.

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