Nine months after Borders went out of business, the Royalton Road store remains vacant -- even though a potential tenant has been in negotiations for the site since January.

Economic Development Director Brent Painter said he is "still waiting to hear" that a lease has been signed.

"The realtor is still in negotiations with an end-user," Painter said this week.

That user has long been rumored to be Earth Fare, an Asheville, N.C.-based chain that calls itself a "healthy supermarket."

The company confirmed in March it is eyeing Strongsville for a location, although it would not specify that it was looking at Borders.

"We are interested in Strongsville and looking in the area, however we do not have plans finalized as of yet," Anastasia Bursenos, a company representative, said in an e-mail.

Earth Fare operates 21 stores in six states -- including Fairview Park and Fairlawn -- and offers natural foods like local and organic fruits and vegetables. The store also has a full-service meat, poultry and fish department.

It does not carry any items containing high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial colors and sweeteners, or synthetic growth hormones in meat and milk.

Strongsville Patch has received a number of tips from readers about Earth Fare moving into the former Borders store on Royalton Road.

Other residents have said they heard a Trader Joe's food store is interested in the site.

Painter said in January that a new tenant was eyeing the Borders site and said the plaza's real estate agent was in lease negotiations at that time.

Borders closed in September after the company declared bankruptcy and liquidated its assets.