How do you folks live without a Whole Foods Market in the state? (Burlington: coops, living)

[bostonguy1960]

All other New England states have at least one, as well as most of the country.

Has there been a vocal outcry over the years to welcome one or do most or all newcomers and old-timers both insist on keeping out as many chains as possible?

Hadn't Target moved into the state several years who, and I think Walmart and other national brands? Was it a fight for approval, with most residents not even wanting a Target?

Which are the dominant supermarkets in different parts of the state?

[Riley.]

We tried to get a Whole Foods here but the state (if I understand things correctly) was having them jump through so many hoops, they gave up.
We have a place in Burlington called Healthy Living (I call it Wealthy Living) that is very similar to Whole Foods, on a smaller scale and right across the parking lot is a Trader Joes. That's as much competition that they are going to allow here.

We do have a Target (meh - I don't go there) and Walmart. It took years to get Walmart approved up here in the northwestern part of the state.

Supermarkets are Shaws, Price Chopper and Hannaford (Market 32).

[vter]

We don't really need a Whole foods. As Riley mentioned above, Healthy Living is a very similar store, and Burlington also has City Market/Onion River Co-op which are also similar to Whole Foods. Plenty of farmers markets and farm stands around the state as well and smaller co-ops (Middlebury, Rutland, Brattleboro, Montpelier etc).

[NYLIER]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

All other New England states have at least one, as well as most of the country.

Has there been a vocal outcry over the years to welcome one or do most or all newcomers and old-timers both insist on keeping out as many chains as possible?

Hadn't Target moved into the state several years who, and I think Walmart and other national brands? Was it a fight for approval, with most residents not even wanting a Target?

Which are the dominant supermarkets in different parts of the state?

There's enough coops and farmer's markets to address the needs of the residents but as far as chain stores, I wish we had a few super Walmarts nearby. I have to go to Queensbury in NY but it is well worth the trip because the prices and variety are much better than the grocery stores in my area of VT. Most people go to NH to shop.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

LOL, we don't need Whole Foods. The Co-Ops and Healthy Living got it all covered and I much prefer them to Whole Foods. Plus the farmers markets (many are year round) have plenty of locally sourced meats, eggs, dairy, & produce. Why would we need a Whole Foods? I use to shop at Whole Foods a lot when I was lived in Albuquerque, because that's pretty much all there was for health food stores out there. What we already have here in Vermont is much better. You can keep Whole Foods.

South Burlington has Trader Joes, a very decent Asian Grocery store, and there's a Costco in Colchester to balance it out. We're not really missing much on the food and grocery amenities in the Burlington area. What I wish we did have in Vermont is a Market Basket. That's what we really need up here. They've expanded to Maine and Rhode Island in recent years, so there's always hope for that I suppose.

[Riley.]

Originally Posted by NYLIER

There's enough coops and farmer's markets to address the needs of the residents but as far as chain stores, I wish we had a few super Walmarts nearby. I have to go to Queensbury in NY but it is well worth the trip because the prices and variety are much better than the grocery stores in my area of VT. Most people go to NH to shop.

Make sure you ask for pricing at farmer's markets. One time, I got jammed paying $5 for one cucumber. I was too embarassed to say I didn't want to pay it, so I did.
A friend of mine said she paid $12 for some purple fingerllngs and same scenario. She didn't want to say, WTH?? so she bought them.

[staystill]

Whole Foods is expensive IMHO

[prospectheightsresident]

Originally Posted by vter

We don't really need a Whole foods. As Riley mentioned above, Healthy Living is a very similar store, and Burlington also has City Market/Onion River Co-op which are also similar to Whole Foods. Plenty of farmers markets and farm stands around the state as well and smaller co-ops (Middlebury, Rutland, Brattleboro, Montpelier etc).

From what I just saw on Google, I think I'd prefer Healthy Living to Whole Foods.

[johnd393]

I don't get it. There's plenty other grocery stores. The nearest Whole Foods here is pretty inconvenient to get to. We've never been there. We mostly shop Meijer. Jewal, Stracks, Aldis, Walmart, SamsClub & Costco are near by.

[SonySegaTendo617]

Interesting Whole Foods has never managed to build one store in Vermont, despite trying to get one approved in the past. I forget Target and Walmart finally were able to build a few stores. That all said, I'm kinda meh about them, and they are to me basically 'whole paycheck'. But I will say they do have good beer and liquor selection, if you do go to one. Wish Whole Foods had kept the in-store bars that served food, their stores used to have pre-pandemic.