Bread Breaking Ceremony
Parking Lot Stencil
More Reasons to Feel Good for Shopping at WF
Allegro Coffee
The 
The Ruckus
Across the Street: Real Foods as Anti-Whole Foods Billboard
Room For Double-WidesThere were about 100 people in attendance this morning at the Whole Foods bread breaking ceremony at 9:45. Bevan Dufty put in an appearance although he arrived late - and shortly after 10:00 cars were already rolling into the parking lot.
27 comments:
Re: The Hoards Enter
its spelled *hordes
did they put in bike racks? Stroller pen?
Bevan Dufty's letter to Whole Foods CEO: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/bottomline/detail?entry_id=48677&tsp=1
There are bike racks and nice picnic tables. I didn't notice a stroller pen, but the aisles are super wide. It was mega crowded when I was there about 2:45, but you could still get around.
It was still crazy crowded at 4pm. Took forever to get through checkout. I am devastated that they did not include an olive bar!!! The olive bar and cheeses are the one thing that would get me into Whole Foods here on a regular basis. If I have to get in the car to get to an olive bar, I might as well skip Whole Foods completely and drive to Rainbow Grocery and support them instead.
Kind of hoping the words "devastated" and "olive bar" were used together with irony... hmm, not sure.
Pretty lively still at 9 p.m., as might be expected for first-day opening (got a free bag for buying $50+ worth of groceries - didn't see that promo). Workers seemed friendly enough, but you could overhear a few tiring out, again as might be expected. It's a small space for WF, so some things seem cut back, some not. They have bulk organic goju berries ($15.99/lb) ... but a very poor bread selection (worse than Bell's... actually worse than a small Italian deli off 24th and Diamond, Pasta Gina, unless you like your bread squishy and in plastic), which hopefully is an oversight that will be mitigated soon.
Overall I'd say that the price of my condo in the neighborhood will improve. I'd also say that the cost of my monthly grocery bill will likely also increase.
I went in after work, love love love it. It was weird to see so many people shopping in the store, I'm so used to the depressing and drab and empty Bell Market. Great feel, good smells, wide aisles, I like it, and am looking forward to walking to my local grocery store!
Anyone notice or concred about how much car traffic was (or will be) on 24th street? Today was ridiculous!!!
i like the new whole foods express. do they sell cage free egg mcmuffins?
I am SO HAPPY that it's open now! As much as I love this store, I was really disappointed in the small bread selection. I couldn't believe they aren't carrying Beckman's 9 Grain sourdough round. The other WF stores carry it. Bell Market couldn't seem to keep it in stock so I know that my family isn't the only one who loves this bread. It's the only bread my kids will eat (besides bagels). I sent a request for it today via their website. Others who like this bread: please go to the WF website to request it, or tell them at the customer service desk. Now I have to drive up to Safeway just to get our bread.
Yeah the new crown jewel of NV has arrived. It was packed this evening and I was so happy to see the lines.
People of NV who love Whole Foods give them some time. They brought in products for the opening that may stay and may not. I am very certain they will change some of their product mix to accommodate the customer base in NV.
Personally I think having NV here will just improve the neighborhood.
One thing I did ask myself is why put in a coffee and pastry counter? There are plenty of local and not so local coffee/pastry shops in Noe Valley. Why disrupt the customer base going to the local shops? The space where the coffee counter is located could be used for something else.
thanks for coming to NV Whole Foods.
Still busy at 9:30, which used to be a reliably stroller-free, no-lines time at Bell...
How do they keep their fruit at that perfect state of ripeness, and all those cut fruit & veggies & sandwiches fresh? Hope they don't throw out huge amounts every night (at least donate it)!
Glad I'm within walking distance... parking is gonna be hell, like Rainbow before they opened their auxiliary garage...today they had attendants with "lot full" signs. You can probably forget about finding a parking space mid-day on 24th...
Yes, this is why I was sad to see Bell Market go and why I'm bummed Whole Foods is here. 24th street was already so crowded and had no parking...now we're going to have people from all over the city driving to come to Whole Foods. Nobody ever went out of their way to go to Bell Market, which made it the perfect place to pick up milk and a few other staples. I would have much rather continued to drive to Potrero to go to Whole Foods over there than have it cause major gridlock in my neighborhood.
I am very happy that WF opened in our neighborhood, but no sliced meats section? Now you have to order your ham at the cheese counter from a very limited selection without even seeing what you are ordering. In my opinion this neighborhood does not need a bakery section - we have an excellent Noe Valley Bakery one block from there and another one opening soon one block in the other direction. Without the sliced meets deli section WF just does not seem like a serious grocery place. Isn't freshly sliced ham and/or turkey on everyone's grocery list?
"Isn't freshly sliced ham and/or turkey on everyone's grocery list?"
Nope, and no olive bars, either. Ain't it devastating?
"Isn't freshly sliced ham and/or turkey on everyone's grocery list?" - wow! Did someone really say that? Hello! Half of Snowy Valley is vegetarian. The half with ME. Heh heh...
Amazing the hopes, dreams, and wishes people put on a commercial establishment - like it should be the solution to all their problems.
It is funny that people are so upset that they can't buy olives or a certain kind of bread in their neighborhood.
Oh, the humanity!
See, I'm really amused that people who consider themselves locals are upset that they can't find PARKING. Isn't that the whole point of having the store in your neighborhood? So that you don't have to drive? Seriously, what am I not understanding here?
ooeygooey said it perfectly!!
Seems to me that generally, if people are going to drive to Whole Foods, they are going to drive to one of full-sized Whole Foods. Don't think you can assume that opening week traffic/parking will continue forever. And if you want olives, or more/different bread, ask for it (they have a Twitter page and a web site) - all evidence to date suggests that they are very open to input and suggestions.
I'm amused to see some people lamenting the loss of Bell Market because it had much less traffic - that's because it sucked as a store. We need more traffic back in Noe after various store closings, including Real Foods, and if WF is attracting lots of buyers, then that's good for everyone. Let's not get all NIMBY here.
More compelling proof that the tiny minority are almost loud enough to overcome the very large majority. You don't realize how few people make such loud noise until something like WF opens and you see the community embrace it. Would have been a shame for a small band of nutjobs to keep this out of the community.
This is a huge upgrade from Bell. I haven't been yet, but was speaking to a friend on 24th this morning and they were mentioning that they're also carrying local baked goods - supporting the hood. I think it's super smart (and man, they've been doing a really good job at engaging the community). If you're going to launch a chain in the middle of this hypervocal area, this is certainly the way to do it.
Noe Valley Bakery is not all that... let's get real here people. Just ate at La Boulange the other day and was reminded how happy I am that they are moving in too!!!
There is one bike rack with 8 slots. I have yet to pull into the store and find space. I'll put in a vote for the olive bar if there's a vote for an additional bike rack!
Watching the LOT FULL sign underscores why honestly, we need meter enforcement until 8 or 9 PM. This would allow turnover of the street spots in business areas like 24th St, and reduce the congestion caused by cars sticking out into the street waiting for the golden ticket to get into the store lot. Won't happen until Gavin's gone.
I just had a great idea -- they need to have grocery p/u in the back of the store, on Elizabeth. The people on Elizabeth would would rise up in righteous fury, but how sweet would that be? Buy your groceries, get your tag like at the California Street store, and then drive to the back to pick up. It would open up much more of the neighborhood for parking for the store, people wouldn't wait like sheep for the lot.
Of course, I still say that they should have demolished the old store and built at the sidewalk line with parking underground and two levels of housing above the store, but good space use like that is just insane!
I wish that they had just made the parking lot area into a small plaza with tables and chairs, some greenery, bike racks, etc. and encouraged foot-traffic only. This is what we need in the city, rather than the traffic glut that is currently going on in the Whole Foods parking lot. I feel badly for the parking attendants. What kind of unfair world is this that we are allowed to park and shop at a store such as this only if we have a lot of money, yet the workers receiving low wages have to stand outside breathing in car fumes?
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