Another Whole Foods Market location is opening in our town…
In the Fall of 1980, I was living a happy hand-to-mouth existence with my musician boyfriend in Austin, TX. For a special treat, we’d hang out in a small health food store in the Clarkville neighborhood, drinking then-exotic smoothies and chatting with other quasi-hippies.
That store: the first Whole Food Market.
Fast forward to Spring of 2009. I’m a recovering high tech cube dweller living in a community that prides itself on being on the forefront of healthy outdoor living. The now-multinational, 235 stores and counting, Whole Foods Market has come to town. Two stores opening in a span of 3 months.
The initial hoopla and curiosity tapered off after the opening of Store #1. It brought 100 P/T jobs into the town, you have to grant them that. It’s now pure American competition – of Whole Foods against our beloved local chain – New Leaf Markets – and the lone Staff of Life store. In a recession.
On one hand, Whole Foods may have conquered other college towns, but we keep it local – we don’t export our money. And no Kombucha on tap is gonna lure conscientious Santa Cruzans away from their principles! On the other hand, the recession forces people to alter some choices based on their bank account balance.
If we locals should be surprised at anything, it’s that it’s taken this long for the forces of (you take your pick) NAFTA or globalization to arrive in our little piece of paradise. Hell, it’s been nearly 20 years since Wal-Mart’s revolutionized food shopping in Mexico, shaking up Mexican supermarkets to pay attention to what was on their shelves and how customers were treated. In the end, we are not exempt from market forces.
I wish all the players could win, but we know that’s not how the story usually ends.
[Note: Whole Foods Market opened its 2nd Santa Cruz location on July 28, 2009.]
Scott mcmurren said,
September 14, 2009 at 3:58 am
I love Whole Foods. When I travel to Seattle (often), I stay at the Redmond Inn on the East Side. I’ve got good friends there, but I love it that the hotel is right across the parking lot from Whole Foods. Honestly, I eat breakfast and dinner there most days. Sometimes I splurge for lunch downtown, but often I just grab a Subway sandwich. Go Whole Foods. Ummm…I do not expect them to come north to Anchorage. And honestly, I probably wouldn’t shop there. Too expensive….that’s why they call it “Whole Paycheck”. But it’s a great diversion in Seattle.