OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
No ribbon cutting. . . they're going to cut an eight foot loaf of
bread instead (snork!!!)
From Whole Food's POV, they couldn't have chosen a better location for
their store but they are going to screw up traffic royal. The chose
one of the busiest intersections in the city (major N/S & E/W route,
can't take alternate route because of the river), 2 blocks from the
state's major hospital campus, 1/2 block from the city's civic campus,
across the street/parking lot from Winco (my favorite Winco), sharing
a parking lot with the newest, biggest Walgree drug store and across
the street for some and down the block for other high-rise
executive-wanna-be's condos and apartments.
They've been giving pre-opening tours all week.
They've stolen the exclusive baker for my Food Co-op
I'll wait 'til after Christmas to take a look-see.
Grumble, grumble. Still -- they are employing 150 full-time workers.
> OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
> that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
> No ribbon cutting. . . they're going to cut an eight foot loaf of
> bread instead (snork!!!)
> From Whole Food's POV, they couldn't have chosen a better location for
> their store but they are going to screw up traffic royal. The chose
> one of the busiest intersections in the city (major N/S & E/W route,
> can't take alternate route because of the river), 2 blocks from the
> state's major hospital campus, 1/2 block from the city's civic campus,
> across the street/parking lot from Winco (my favorite Winco), sharing
> a parking lot with the newest, biggest Walgree drug store and across
> the street for some and down the block for other high-rise
> executive-wanna-be's condos and apartments.
> They've been giving pre-opening tours all week.
> They've stolen the exclusive baker for my Food Co-op
> I'll wait 'til after Christmas to take a look-see.
> Grumble, grumble. Still -- they are employing 150 full-time workers.
> Janet US
I'm not that excited about any new Whole Foods and the last one to open around here uses garage parking that I avoid except in dire necessity. They had a convenient store with a parking lot but they moved to a new location. A store called Fresh Foods has replaced them and is rather good on variety and quality.
Fairly recently a Great Wall Chinese supermarket has also recently opened and seems very successful with lots of customers of apparently Chinese ethnicity but the parking is often inadequate and getting to it requires a U-turn for about half their customers. This does wonders for the very busy Rockville Pike, since in addition, there is often a line of cars waiting to get into the lot.
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:13:38 -0500, James Silverton
<not.jim.silver...@verizon.net> wrote:
>On 11/14/2012 9:52 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>> OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
>> that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
snip
>Fairly recently a Great Wall Chinese supermarket has also recently >opened
snip
I thought that was a restaurant?
>Chinese ethnicity but the parking is often inadequate and getting to it >requires a U-turn for about half their customers. This does wonders for >the very busy Rockville Pike, since in addition, there is often a line >of cars waiting to get into the lot.
Well, that is the problem. To get into their parking lot there is
going to be a lot of cross lane and interfering traffic at speed as
well as cars slowing down in the lane to enter the parking lot. My
husband practically foams at the mouth when talking about city
planners and I have to agree on this one. There is no parking for
employees, even within walking distance. What were they thinking?
Janet US
> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:13:38 -0500, James Silverton
> <not.jim.silver...@verizon.net> wrote:
>> On 11/14/2012 9:52 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>>> OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
>>> that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
> snip
>> Fairly recently a Great Wall Chinese supermarket has also recently
>> opened
> snip
> I thought that was a restaurant?
>> Chinese ethnicity but the parking is often inadequate and getting to it
>> requires a U-turn for about half their customers. This does wonders for
>> the very busy Rockville Pike, since in addition, there is often a line
>> of cars waiting to get into the lot.
> Well, that is the problem. To get into their parking lot there is
> going to be a lot of cross lane and interfering traffic at speed as
> well as cars slowing down in the lane to enter the parking lot. My
> husband practically foams at the mouth when talking about city
> planners and I have to agree on this one. There is no parking for
> employees, even within walking distance. What were they thinking?
> Janet US
There are at least four Great Wall stores in the DC metropolitan area.
> OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
> that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor store. :-)
> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at > 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have > never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor > store. :-)
Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE to stand in line?
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
> > They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at > > 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have > > never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor > > store. :-)
> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once > the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE > to stand in line?
A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
be really busy, even now.
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:45:32 -0800, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
>> > They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at >> > 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have >> > never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor >> > store. :-)
>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once >> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE >> to stand in line?
>A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
>remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
>other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
>first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
>didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
>the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
>was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
>free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
>be really busy, even now.
>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at >> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have >> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor >> store. :-)
> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once > the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE > to stand in line?
> >> > They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at > >> > 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have > >> > never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor > >> > store. :-)
> >> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once > >> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE > >> to stand in line?
> >A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
> >remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
> >other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
> >first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
> >didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
> >the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
> >was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
> >free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
> >be really busy, even now.
> Is a restaurant usual?
I am not familiar with a restaurant. They have a deli type space
where you order sandwiches (with salad and hot food islands too)...
and a small bakery too - but there's no place to eat what you buy. I
guess if you could eat on the premises if you really wanted to,
because there's a small coffee bar at other end of the store with more
tables than a coffee bar that size needs. But it's clearly intended
to be take away food.
> OMG Our state's first Whole Foods is opening today. I am so thankful
> that I did my shopping at Winco yesterday.!
> No ribbon cutting. . . they're going to cut an eight foot loaf of
> bread instead (snork!!!)
> From Whole Food's POV, they couldn't have chosen a better location for
> their store but they are going to screw up traffic royal. The chose
> one of the busiest intersections in the city (major N/S & E/W route,
> can't take alternate route because of the river), 2 blocks from the
> state's major hospital campus, 1/2 block from the city's civic campus,
> across the street/parking lot from Winco (my favorite Winco), sharing
> a parking lot with the newest, biggest Walgree drug store and across
> the street for some and down the block for other high-rise
> executive-wanna-be's condos and apartments.
> They've been giving pre-opening tours all week.
> They've stolen the exclusive baker for my Food Co-op
> I'll wait 'til after Christmas to take a look-see.
> Grumble, grumble. Still -- they are employing 150 full-time workers.
The job gain is great! I'm not impressed with whole foods. There are a few things I buy there that I can't find in other places, though that's been a while since I needed them. Mostly just some supplements and empty gel caps for my cats medication.
> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
>>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at
>>> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have
>>> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor
>>> store. :-)
>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once
>> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE
>> to stand in line?
> A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
> remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
> other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
> first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
> didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
> the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
> was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
> free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
> be really busy, even now.
When I see a great review for a restaurant in the local rags I always put it on my list to do in 3-6 months.
> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:30:16 -0700, Janet Bostwick
> <nos...@cableone.net> wrote:
>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:45:32 -0800, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>>>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
>>>>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at
>>>>> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have
>>>>> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor
>>>>> store. :-)
>>>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once
>>>> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE
>>>> to stand in line?
>>> A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
>>> remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
>>> other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
>>> first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
>>> didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
>>> the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
>>> was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
>>> free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
>>> be really busy, even now.
>> Is a restaurant usual?
> I am not familiar with a restaurant. They have a deli type space
> where you order sandwiches (with salad and hot food islands too)...
> and a small bakery too - but there's no place to eat what you buy.
Really. In all the ones around here (3), they all have a lot of two-tops and such near the door, but they also have a lot of tables over by the wine area. I know that's likely for tastings and such.
But I thought that area was pretty much "food courty".
> I guess if you could eat on the premises if you really wanted to,
> because there's a small coffee bar at other end of the store with more
> tables than a coffee bar that size needs. But it's clearly intended
> to be take away food.
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:00:11 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
> On 2012-11-15 00:12:30 +0000, sf said:
> > On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:30:16 -0700, Janet Bostwick
> > <nos...@cableone.net> wrote:
> >> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:45:32 -0800, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
> >>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
> >>>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
> >>>>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at
> >>>>> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have
> >>>>> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor
> >>>>> store. :-)
> >>>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once
> >>>> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE
> >>>> to stand in line?
> >>> A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
> >>> remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
> >>> other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
> >>> first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
> >>> didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
> >>> the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
> >>> was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
> >>> free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
> >>> be really busy, even now.
> >> Is a restaurant usual?
> > I am not familiar with a restaurant. They have a deli type space
> > where you order sandwiches (with salad and hot food islands too)...
> > and a small bakery too - but there's no place to eat what you buy.
> Really. In all the ones around here (3), they all have a lot of > two-tops and such near the door, but they also have a lot of tables > over by the wine area. I know that's likely for tastings and such.
> But I thought that area was pretty much "food courty".
To be perfectly clear, there are no tables what-so-ever in the
deli/salad bar area. You'd need to walk across the entire store to
find tables at the coffee bar end.
> > I guess if you could eat on the premises if you really wanted to,
> > because there's a small coffee bar at other end of the store with more
> > tables than a coffee bar that size needs. But it's clearly intended
> > to be take away food.
On Thu, 15 Nov 2012 07:52:08 -0800, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:00:11 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>> On 2012-11-15 00:12:30 +0000, sf said:
>> > On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:30:16 -0700, Janet Bostwick
>> > <nos...@cableone.net> wrote:
>> >> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:45:32 -0800, sf <s...@geemail.com> wrote:
>> >>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>> >>>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
>> >>>>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at
>> >>>>> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have
>> >>>>> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor
>> >>>>> store. :-)
>> >>>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once
>> >>>> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE
>> >>>> to stand in line?
>> >>> A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
>> >>> remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
>> >>> other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
>> >>> first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
>> >>> didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
>> >>> the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
>> >>> was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
>> >>> free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
>> >>> be really busy, even now.
>> >> Is a restaurant usual?
>> > I am not familiar with a restaurant. They have a deli type space
>> > where you order sandwiches (with salad and hot food islands too)...
>> > and a small bakery too - but there's no place to eat what you buy.
>> Really. In all the ones around here (3), they all have a lot of >> two-tops and such near the door, but they also have a lot of tables >> over by the wine area. I know that's likely for tastings and such.
>> But I thought that area was pretty much "food courty".
>To be perfectly clear, there are no tables what-so-ever in the
>deli/salad bar area. You'd need to walk across the entire store to
>find tables at the coffee bar end.
>> > I guess if you could eat on the premises if you really wanted to,
>> > because there's a small coffee bar at other end of the store with more
>> > tables than a coffee bar that size needs. But it's clearly intended
>> > to be take away food.
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:05:29 -0600, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost>
wrote:
>On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:30:16 -0700, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>> Is a restaurant usual?
>You mean in a Hole Foods? Our Hole foods has 6 "restaurants" in it.
>3 of them have their own seating in the bar/lounge fashion, the others
>are for "take-in" and share communal seating. Indoors seats around
>200 total in 5 different sections, with another 200+ outside in 3
>sections.
>-sw
That is WAY bigger than this Whole Foods.
Janet US
On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:58:12 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>On 2012-11-14 22:45:32 +0000, sf said:
>> On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:49:30 -0800, gtr <x...@yyy.zzz> wrote:
>>> On 2012-11-14 20:23:33 +0000, Cheri said:
>>>> They had an opening of BevMo in our town recently. People lined up at
>>>> 5:00 A.M. to be there when it opened it's doors. Personally, I have
>>>> never understood why people do that, but at least it's a huge liquor
>>>> store. :-)
>>> Nor I. I'll wait weeks or even months in order to go to a store once
>>> the novelty has apparently worn off for others. What--do people LIKE
>>> to stand in line?
>> A new Whole Foods opened near me a couple of months ago. I don't
>> remember them giving tours the week before, but we have quite a few
>> other WFs here so it's wasn't that novel. It was impacted on the
>> first day, mainly with people doing their own tours of the store. I
>> didn't see significant lines at the checkout. A couple of days later,
>> the body count in the store was what would be normal for a weekend (it
>> was a weekday). I think shopping there will be pretty much hassle
>> free, but the end of the store where you buy sandwiches etc seems to
>> be really busy, even now.
>When I see a great review for a restaurant in the local rags I always >put it on my list to do in 3-6 months.
the trick is to get there while they are still doing an excellent job
and before trade and enthusiasm tapers off and the food becomes tired
and they go out of business ;o)
Janet US
>On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 07:52:25 -0700, Janet Bostwick wrote:
>> From Whole Food's POV, they couldn't have chosen a better location for
>> their store but they are going to screw up traffic royal.
>They did the same thing in Austin. Not only did they put a huge store
>there, but they also built 5 more floors on top of it act as their
>corporate headquarters.
>The news reported that there was a 400% increase in accidents at that
>intersection and in the parking lot during their first full year of
>business. All the while getting huge tax incentives from the city.
>Southbound traffic is usually backed up 1.2 miles at that intersection
>at peak evening rush hour.
>> The chose
>> one of the busiest intersections in the city (major N/S & E/W route,
>> can't take alternate route because of the river),
>Yep. Right at one of the only bridges that crosses the river. And
>now the first Trader Joes will be opening up 200 yards away on the
>same thoroughfare.
>-sw
Either you have been here to see or that is their MO. The bridge is
less than a block away. Janet US
> >You mean in a Hole Foods? Our Hole foods has 6 "restaurants" in it.
> >3 of them have their own seating in the bar/lounge fashion, the others
> >are for "take-in" and share communal seating. Indoors seats around
> >200 total in 5 different sections, with another 200+ outside in 3
> >sections.
> >-sw
> That is WAY bigger than this Whole Foods.
> Janet US
