The Wheatsville Food Co-op, a staple of Austin's health-food scene, has announced that its Guadalupe Street store will close at the end of 2026. The decision comes as the area prepares for significant changes due to the city's Project Connect light rail project and increased competition in the natural foods market.
General Manager Bill Bickford acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the iconic Mangiasaurus Rex, a giant green dinosaur atop the store since 2007. "Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to that yet," he said. "But ultimately, we want to make sure that he has a good home to go to."
Founded in 1976, Wheatsville was inspired by Austin's first Black community, Wheatville. The co-op now operates two locations: the Guadalupe store and a larger outlet on South Lamar Boulevard. It is managed by a board elected by its 29,000 member-owners.
Despite its popularity among Austinites seeking healthy and locally sourced food, Wheatsville faces challenges such as tight profit margins and rising rents. This has led to declining sales at its Guadalupe location. "Other grocery stores have opened in the Hyde Park area and lured away some shoppers," Bickford explained.
Looking ahead, Wheatsville plans to open smaller locations focused on longtime Hyde Park residents and University of Texas students and staff. "We feel a connection to those in that area — because we’ve historically served those customers," Bickford stated.
The co-op aims to expand across Austin using a hub-and-spoke model with smaller neighborhood stores supported by the larger South Lamar location. These new stores would be around 6,000 square feet each. Bickford mentioned that up to 12 smaller stores could be supported if demand allows.
While no specific sites have been selected for these new models, each store may carry different products tailored to their neighborhoods. The expansion plan will require investment from owner-members and other sources.
Wheatsville's strategy focuses on offering specialized neighborhood markets amid growing competition from larger chains like Whole Foods and H-E-B. "We just want to be a place that is big enough to meet your needs and small enough to meet your neighbors," Bickford emphasized.