Whole Foods no longer a rumor

**noise** · July-27-11, 12:37 PM

Ann Arbor actually has 2 Whole Foods. The other is located at Eisenhower & Ann Arbor-Saline.

Personally, I'd be happy to see them open in Detroit. Aside from a decent selection of adult beverages, I find their prepared foods to be pretty horrible tasting...and I've tried pretty hard to prove myself wrong.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · July-27-11, 12:38 PM

Its certainly true that WF is too expensive for most Detroiters. Thats why they would not be building in Brightmoor, but in Midtown. And its not just the residents but the professional workers in the area that this would be aimed at. As is the case with my local urban WF, I'm sure this would be a destination to actually go to for coffee or a prepared lunch. You don't go to Kroger's for a prepared organic salad and wifi.

Smart companies sense trends. Jobs, housing and amenities all build off of each other. Having a WF in the area would encourage more housing, which in turn would add customers.

**iheartthed** · July-27-11, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Personally, I'd be happy to see them open in Detroit. Aside from a decent selection of adult beverages, I find their prepared foods to be pretty horrible tasting...and I've tried pretty hard to prove myself wrong.

Agreed on both points. But their beer selection is so good that I can overlook the shitty prepared foods.

**noise** · July-27-11, 12:59 PM

In fairness, WF is probably too expensive for MOST Ann Arborites, as well. It's not necessarily for everyone's everyday shopping needs, but they're always nice stores with good products and serve as a "destination".

**iheartthed** · July-27-11, 01:26 PM

So... Just had a thought: Why would Bing announce this Detroit Works project details on the same day as a potential Whole Foods announcement? Poor manipulation of the newscycle? Or maybe WF isn't announcing a Detroit store today so he's trying to divert attention?

**DetroitPlanner** · July-27-11, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

They tend to build multi-level stores on smaller footprints at their urban stores. Since they will own the building, instead of leasing, I don't see why they would need to hedge by building a smaller store.

How do you know they will own instead of lease? Isn't the Maple Rd store an old Farmer Jack and located in a strip mall? I would assume they did not buy the whole mall to own the store.

So far, no announcement: http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=WFM&ql=0

**iheartthed** · July-27-11, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

How do you know they will own instead of lease? Isn't the Maple Rd store an old Farmer Jack and located in a strip mall? I would assume they did not buy the whole mall to own the store.

So far, no announcement: http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=WFM&ql=0

There was an article on the other thread quoting the person who owns the parking lot over there. He said that Whole Foods wanted to buy the lot and the Chase bank next door and build the store themselves.

ETA: Also, the earnings won't be announced until after the close. Still another 1.25 hours to go...

**kraig** · July-27-11, 02:04 PM

This entire thread is a very good indication of how far Detroit has to go. This is much ado over one grocery store. There wasn't a fraction of this much discussion about a much smaller city [[Royal Oak) turning down a much bigger store [[Kroger). Talk about suffering from low standards.

**iheartthed** · July-27-11, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

This entire thread is a very good indication of how far Detroit has to go. This is much ado over one grocery store. There wasn't a fraction of this much discussion about a much smaller city [[Royal Oak) turning down a much bigger store [[Kroger). Talk about suffering from low standards.

If Kroger was opening a store in Detroit the story probably wouldn't get as much attention either.

agrahlma · July-27-11, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

This entire thread is a very good indication of how far Detroit has to go. This is much ado over one grocery store. There wasn't a fraction of this much discussion about a much smaller city [[Royal Oak) turning down a much bigger store [[Kroger). Talk about suffering from low standards.

Yeah this is proof that Detroit has a long way to go. However; this is far bigger than just any grocery store moving into the city. We’re talking about a nationally recognized chain that is very highly regarded. I’m sure it will raise some eyebrows nationally. I’ve never been to a WF, but I will try it if it opens in Detroit.

**Detroitkid** · July-27-11, 02:41 PM

And the gasoline on the fire. Whole Foods could get $4.2 million in incentives to come to Detroit. https://bitly.com/

Announcement coming at 5 pm tonight.

**BigD** · July-27-11, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitkid

And the gasoline on the fire. Whole Foods could get $4.2 million in incentives to come to Detroit. https://bitly.com/

Announcement coming at 5 pm tonight.

Here's the article: http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ole-foods-deal

$4.2 million in incentives. And they will be leasing.

agrahlma · July-27-11, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by BigD

Here's the article: http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ole-foods-deal

$4.2 million in incentives. And they will be leasing.

There’s going to be some yelling and screaming over this! Regardless, I still think it’s a good thing

**Left_For_Texas** · July-27-11, 03:27 PM

Several news orgs are saying the Detroit store is a done deal

http://www.washingtonpost.com/busine...LdI_story.html

**Fnemecek** · July-27-11, 03:31 PM

$4.2 million in incentives??? To open a friggin' grocery store???

That's not just insane. That stupidity that borders on outright criminality.

There is no way in the world will ever be a net gain for the city. Hell, there's no way it would ever even get close to breaking even.

**Fnemecek** · July-27-11, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by agrahlma

There’s going to be some yelling and screaming over this! Regardless, I still think it’s a good thing

Why?

What in the world do we gain that's even worth $1 million in incentives, let alone $4.2 million?

**BigD** · July-27-11, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

$4.2 million in incentives??? To open a friggin' grocery store???

That's not just insane. That stupidity that borders on outright criminality.

There is no way in the world will ever be a net gain for the city. Hell, there's no way it would ever even get close to breaking even.

Well, according to the article, the City is providing nothing. The incentives are from the State, the Feds, and private foundations. So it will be a net gain for the City.

Let's remember that Snyder has established a pot of $ for just these sort of opportunities. Although he eliminated tax credits, the state has grant $ available through appropriations. So this fits with their strategy of using that $ for targeted opportunities in distressed urban areas.

**401don** · July-27-11, 03:36 PM

Development by incentive: Pay the companies to locate there, pay the employees to live there and pay for the stores for them to buy their groceries.

**Fnemecek** · July-27-11, 03:37 PM

For $4.2 million, we can get a hell of a lot more than one frigging grocery store.

**DetroitPlanner** · July-27-11, 03:39 PM

C'est Vrai! according to WSJ
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...o&mod=yahoo_hs

**mwilbert** · July-27-11, 03:42 PM

I'm glad the city isn't spending any of the money, but the package does seem excessive. The foundations can do what they want, and this sort of thing is what the New Markets program is for, but I hate seeing brownfields money going into this.

**Fnemecek** · July-27-11, 03:43 PM

Seriously. For $4.2 million, we ought to get at least 5 Whole Foods stores and a couple of Cheesecake Factories.

agrahlma · July-27-11, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Fnemecek

Seriously. For $4.2 million, we ought to get at least 5 Whole Foods stores and a couple of Cheesecake Factories.

Agree, but we're Detroit and we're not going to get that. Let's embrace it, call it a win and move forward - with the hope that it will be the catalyst for more things to come. At the end of the day, as a taxpayer, the net impact on my bottom line is beyond fractional.

**HazenPingree** · July-27-11, 03:50 PM

Midtown, inc spied cleaning up the corner of John R. and Mack [[the supposed location of the Whole Foods) this afternoon. I'm not saying it guarantees that the Whole Foods plan comes to fruition, but I would wager that there will be an announcement on that corner within the next 24 hours.

another article:
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...in-incentives#

**Eric_c** · July-27-11, 03:54 PM

According to the Crain's article linked above, $4.2 M is coming from "city, state and federal" incentives, $5.4 M from Whole Foods and $5.3 M from the developer.

Add it all up: $14.9 M for a 20,000 sq ft grocery store and even then it won't be open for another eighteen months.

I want to see businesses in Detroit as bad as the next guy, but wow!

Does it *really* cost $15 million to open a flippin' grocery store?