Hilton Head Residents Hold Memorial Service For Whole Foods On Anniversary Of Closing
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC — Dozens of residents gathered in the Shelter Cove parking lot this month to mark the one-year anniversary of the Whole Foods Market closing, holding a candlelight vigil for what many described as “the only place on the island where you could reliably find organic tahini.”
“Some people come here for the beach, some for the golf,” said longtime shopper Susan Whitaker, laying a bouquet of kale at the shuttered entrance. “But me? I came for the hot bar. We may never see plantains roasted that perfectly again.”
The event included a eulogy from a local chef, a moment of silence for bulk quinoa bins, and a slideshow of reusable shopping bags set to Sarah McLachlan’s I Will Remember You. Several attendees wept openly.
“It’s not just a grocery store,” said transplant dad Frank Drayton, clutching a half-empty bottle of artisanal olive oil. “It was a community. And a way to spend $48 on three items without judgment.”
At press time, organizers confirmed plans to gather again next year, unless a Trader Joe’s opens first — in which case they admitted they’d immediately forget about Whole Foods entirely.
