Whole Foods CEO, On Opening Detroit Store: 'We're Going After Elitism, Racism'

[bailey]

Well, Whole Foods is known for locating in areas with a certain demographic--usually overwhelmingly white, upper-middle-class, and college-educated. While Midtown is improving, it's still a ways off from the typical Whole Foods target market.

But yet, it's the one place in the city closest to that target demo... which is the Demo they claim they are not targeting.

I'd be much more on board with this WF being subsidized if they would have done any of the following... a) rehabbed a building; or b) located in an area that was ACTUALLY under-served by grocery options; or c) this was the region's first WFs.

[Honky Tonk]

Can't we all just post along?

[Bham1982]

Which begs the question: has Whole Foods ever shut a store?

That's a good question, though. I don't think they've closed too many.

They did close a store in Palatine, IL not too long ago [[suburban Chicago).

They also closed a North Ave. store in Chicago, though a new store opened not too far away. I probably wouldn't count this one, since the replacement store is so close.

When they built the second Ann Arbor store, they claimed it would replace the [[much smaller) first, but the first never closed.

They signed a lease for a Novi store back during the last boom, but they backed out. No store was ever built.

[Bham1982]

You said grocery stores, not supermarkets. Use more precise wording - we don't all share your big box suburban mentality. Grocery store = grocery store. Supermarket = supermarket.

I'm not sure what you're trying to argue, but, yes, obviously not every single grocery purveyor in Chicago, Detroit, or really anywhere will have exclusive parking. This seems quite obvious and irrelevent.

And I was unaware that it took a "suburban mentality" to understand the concept of a supermarket. Amazingly, the largest supermarkets are in the most urban areas. I guess Manhattan needs to get over its "suburban mentality".

[aj3647]

Shouldn't we, since we're paying to open it, get to ask some questions?

Hey, everyone has a right to complain. I just find it disingenuous that some are trying to pass off the current criticism of Whole Foods as being due to the recent comments of the CEO, when in reality, the Whole Foods bashing on DYes began over a year ago.

[TexasT]

I'm not sure what you're trying to argue, but, yes, obviously not every single grocery purveyor in Chicago, Detroit, or really anywhere will have exclusive parking. This seems quite obvious and irrelevent.

And I was unaware that it took a "suburban mentality" to understand the concept of a supermarket. Amazingly, the largest supermarkets are in the most urban areas. I guess Manhattan needs to get over its "suburban mentality".

The "suburban mentality" referenced your automatic assumption that grocery store = massive supermarket complete with parking lot and excluded smaller grocery stores where plenty of city-dwellers do their shopping [[pretty much exclusively smaller stores for me). I just said, be more precise with your wording if you want to communicate effectively because what you said was incorrect on its face and confusing to people who don't automatically think of a big box supermarket when they hear "grocery store" [[which is why I and Eber laughed at your assertion that every grocery store has a parking lot when plenty of grocery stores in Chicago do not). I said nothing about there not being any supermarkets in urban areas - I had Jewel and Whole Foods near my apartment in Chicago.

[Spartan]

I said that grocers aren't generally subsidized, which is true, in Chicago, and elsewhere.

There isn't one supermarket in "Green Zone" Chicago that received a subsidy to open.

Now what is your point? That not 100% of supermarkets in Chicago, or on the planet are subsidy free? That's fine, and I agree. Supermarkets have been subsidized in ghettos, or due to political malfeasance, in some cases. It's obviously the exception, not the rule, in Chicago, and elsewhere.

Stop worrying about whether supermarkets are subsidized in Chicago or elsewhere and look at Detroit. The fact is, almost any new business in Detroit is being subsidized right now, especially large ones. Even the smaller YOBS right down the street got incentives to open. I'm betting Papa Joe's will be receiving some incentives as well. It doesn't matter if you're right, because the comparison is worthless. Arguing about whether grocers in downtown Chicago or NYC are getting subsidies is irrelevant, because Whole Foods Detroit isn't in CHI or NYC, it's in Detroit. I don't know what "Green Zone" Chicago is, but I'm betting there isn't really a "Green Zone" Detroit.

[Zacha341]

Umm, a WFoods on like say Grand River and Greenfield? Never gonna happen!

But yet, it's the one place in the city closest to that target demo... which is the Demo they claim they are not targeting.

I'd be much more on board with this WF being subsidized if they would have done any of the following... a) rehabbed a building; or b) located in an area that was ACTUALLY under-served by grocery options; or c) this was the region's first WFs.

[stasu1213]

I am glad that Whole Foods is opening. I could care less if they are subsidized. I love YOBS. Both stores are not Spartan Stores which unfortunately plague this city. I say bring more stores. I do give Lafayette Foods credit for keeping a full staff, not allowing riff raff, panhandlers, and trouble makers hang around the store and keeping their shelves full. I would still get my meats from the Eastern Market or Krogers. Just a habit of mine

[noise]

When they built the second Ann Arbor store, they claimed it would replace the [[much smaller) first, but the first never closed.

The original WF in Ann Arbor did close. It became a Trader Joe's.

There's still the slightly smaller WF across town on W. Eisenhower, but that was not the original.

[drjeff]

The original WF in Ann Arbor did close. It became a Trader Joe's.

There's still the slightly smaller WF across town on W. Eisenhower, but that was not the original.

There are two Whole Foods in Ann Arbor. One is on Washtenaw, the other on Eisenhower. The Washtenaw one is pretty large.

[wolverine]

The "suburban mentality" referenced your automatic assumption that grocery store = massive supermarket complete with parking lot and excluded smaller grocery stores where plenty of city-dwellers do their shopping [[pretty much exclusively smaller stores for me). I just said, be more precise with your wording if you want to communicate effectively because what you said was incorrect on its face and confusing to people who don't automatically think of a big box supermarket when they hear "grocery store" [[which is why I and Eber laughed at your assertion that every grocery store has a parking lot when plenty of grocery stores in Chicago do not). I said nothing about there not being any supermarkets in urban areas - I had Jewel and Whole Foods near my apartment in Chicago.

i'm surprised you say that being a former resident. Most large grocery stores in Chicago have free parking The difference is Chicago requires them to internalize all the parking. It must be beneath or above the store. And because of Chicago's water table, they are usually above the store with an apartment / condo tower stacked above it. I know you are aware there's no real estate available in desirable areas for surface parking and it's not all that expensive to stack parking if the building is multi-tenant. Some do build surface parking, but usually because they snagged some industrial parcel in the 70's and the city really could care less what people built at that time.

The Jewel at Clark and Division that you may know of is getting torn down to build Tower of Jewel. Yes, there will be no surface parking to speak of, but a massive building and more parking than ever before hidden inside. And in typical Chicago retail developments, it will all be free parking.

[noise]

There are two Whole Foods in Ann Arbor. One is on Washtenaw, the other on Eisenhower. The Washtenaw one is pretty large.

I didn't mean to imply there wasn't. The original was where TJ now resides. Then they opened the one on Washtenaw. After that, Eisenhower.

[KJ5]

I don't care about any of this sanctimonious b.s. about going after elitism and racism or this yammering about WFs in Chicago or other places. What I wanna know is will this overpriced grocery store take the Bridge Card or what?

[Zacha341]

^^^ I would think they would take EBT. They'd be fiscally unwise not to do so. Trader Joes does.

[Hermod]

Wow, nine pages of drivel about some guy talking through his ass about the "socially redeeming" philanthropy they are doing in opening a "lesbian meet market" on a college campus. Maybe he is just saying those things to assuage the consciences of the bureaucrats who approved the subsidies that they were doing this for the poor and disadvantaged of Detroit.

[iheartthed]

The original WF in Ann Arbor did close. It became a Trader Joe's.

There's still the slightly smaller WF across town on W. Eisenhower, but that was not the original.

The WF on Washtenaw and Huron Pkwy closed?

[corktownyuppie]

The WF on Washtenaw and Huron Pkwy closed?

Not to be all corporate spinny here, but the original WF did not "close", it "moved". It originally had the south side of Washtenaw in an old building. When Whole Foods built the gigantic mega-store with its controversial valet parking and giant footprint, they did so with the intent of moving the "old" store into the "new" store. Trader Joes then signed a lease with the building which used to house the first Whole Foods location in Ann Arbor.

Moved vs. Closed....semantics, but y'know.

[BasementBeat]

What I wanna know is will this overpriced grocery store take the Bridge Card or what?

You betcha. Grad school students in Ann Arbor uses the hell out of their bridge card at Whole Foods.

[downtownguy]

I am glad that Whole Foods is opening. I could care less if they are subsidized. I love YOBS. Both stores are not Spartan Stores which unfortunately plague this city. I say bring more stores. I do give Lafayette Foods credit for keeping a full staff, not allowing riff raff, panhandlers, and trouble makers hang around the store and keeping their shelves full. I would still get my meats from the Eastern Market or Krogers. Just a habit of mine

What the hell is wrong with being a Spartan Store? It's a Michigan operation, they offer just as good private brandish stuff as Kroger's private label crap at a competitive price, and Harbortown and Lafayette Market are both Spartan stores.

[Honky Tonk]

What the hell is wrong with being a Spartan Store? It's a Michigan operation, they offer just as good private brandish stuff as Kroger's private label crap at a competitive price, and Harbortown and Lafayette Market are both Spartan stores.

Do they carry lettuce? I can't seem to find a head of lettuce in Detroit.

[softailrider]

Do they carry lettuce? I can't seem to find a head of lettuce in Detroit.

Several different kinds. I don't usually eat regular iceberg anymore, somebody on here said it had no nutritional value. I always believe everything I read on the net.

[Honky Tonk]

Several different kinds. I don't usually eat regular iceberg anymore, somebody on here said it had no nutritional value. I always believe everything I read on the net.

Atta boy, Ralphie....

[marshamusic]

Do they carry lettuce? I can't seem to find a head of lettuce in Detroit.

You can't find a head of lettuce?????

[Honky Tonk]

You can't find a head of lettuce?????

[[it was an attempt @ sarcastic humor)