Natural Grocers, a natural and organic foods retailer based in Lakewood, Colorado, is opening a new store at 732 SW 6th St in downtown Redmond, Oregon, inside the building that once housed JoAnn’s Fabrics. The store is expected to open in the first quarter of 2027, with support from the City of Redmond and the Redmond Urban Renewal Agency.
The Redmond Urban Renewal Agency approved a forgivable grant of up to 500,000 dollars to help fund building improvements. Natural Grocers plans to put roughly 2 million dollars of its own money into the site, covering both interior and exterior work along with upgrades to meet current operational standards.
Raquel Isely, vice president of marketing for Natural Grocers, said the company hopes to expand access to organic groceries, supplements and nutrition education for the Redmond community, according to KTVZ News.
The project fits into a larger pattern for downtown Redmond, where the Urban Renewal Agency has worked since 1995 to draw new business into the area. Last year alone, more than $110,000 in public funds helped support 11 small businesses, leading to nearly $ 1 million in new private investment. City officials say every public dollar spent downtown has generated about 9 dollars in private investment over time.
