Whole Foods coming to The Clove in Buffalo Grove

After months of uncertainty and several false starts, Buffalo Grove Village President Eric Smith announced via YouTube video Thursday Whole Foods has signed a lease to occupy The Clove.

Smith made the video Wednesday evening along with the village’s community development director, Nicole Woods.

Woods said residents can anticipate an early 2027 opening.

The village has been trying to lure a new grocer to the site after a previous planned grocery store tenant, Amazon Fresh, fell through. Amazon Fresh was originally supposed to move in at the end of 2025.

Village officials have repeatedly said the grocer is necessary to spark further development at the mixed-use center at McHenry and Lake-Cook roads, which replaced the old Town Center mall.

Officials said Tax Increment Financing funds are contingent on a grocer moving into the 43,000-square-foot space.

“It has to be a grocer, by the (redevelopment) agreement, and it's going to be a grocer,” Smith recently said. “So it’s going to happen. We’re going to have a grocer in there.”

Thus far, the retail portion of the development has been gradually filling up. Already in place are Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Jamba Juice and Auntie Anne’s.

In addition, Dutch Bros coffee is moving into the former Burger King space.

First Watch was scheduled to locate at the center, but withdrew, and a longtime tenant going back to the Town Center days, Giordano’s, recently closed.

Village officials said the residential portion of the development is more than 60% occupied.

Meanwhile, a design for the Clove Park is expected to be revealed sometime this spring.