Whole Foods has come to The Hood (Chicago, Mark: sale, buying)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by rubbersoul89

i think that might be part of the motivation behind this move...to provide some new jobs to the neighborhood.

...the construction jobs will almost certainly NOT being going to folks from Englewood and even the non-union retail jobs at a grocery store like Whole Foods are not all that impressive.

While I applaud this experiment it will take much more than this to move the gauge out of the "omigosh" range of unemployment / dysfunction. In a way this kind of use of TIF funds hurts more than it helps -- the message it sends to other retailers is to have the city bankroll your facilities. That sort of spending would have much larger returns / much greater multiplier effects for higher paying / higher value industrial developments...

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Aleking

I'd much rather the city spend TIF money on actual blighted neighborhoods than luxury high-rises for the priviledged. Still not sure anyone in Englewood will actually be able to afford shopping there.

This is really the $64,000 question---the prices for Whoe Foods are tough to manage even for a middle-class household, to say nothing for an impoverished community..

[chet everett]

If you want to see some really nasty comments head over to either Trib or SunTimes, things are completely out of control for the story at both news outlets...

There are folks bashing the Whole Foods CEO, folks going off on their prices, going off on the developer, going off on each other...

[eevee]

Originally Posted by chet everett

...of TIF money. It makes it lots easier for a store to open a location if the entire project / build-out is on somebody else's dime!

If the other grocery store operators can get the same kind of deal they might consider opening up something too, of course given the relative degree they try to space themselves out to avoid competing with one another directly there probably won't be anything else in Englewood.

I also note the idea of this being an "experiment" for Whole Foods -- not that many years ago other stores have faced the reality that they've already "built out" a high percentage of the really desirsable retail spots. They need to try out different formats to expand their footprint and grow their sales. The thing is, in my experience some stores seem to have "synergistic effects" and help create a multiplier effect so that other retailers are attracted to a shopping district. I have not seen this with Whole Foods. Even in nice upscale areas of the city of suburbs the Whole Foods shopper is not someone that will support any other retailers -- in contrast places like Dominicks tend to have a nice little cluster of other shops nearby -- I guess folks that spend all their money on organic vegan goods are not the type to support a little nail salon, dry cleaner, card shop, tanning parlor or ladie's fitness location...

So this was the weirdest news I've heard in a while. As someone who worked for WFM for a good chunk of time, I just can't see how this would work out in Englewood. True, anyone who has actually shopped at WFM can see that many of their store brand items are as cheap-if not cheaper- than similar items sold in other stores (just looking in my pantry right now, I have some 365 Organic Chicken, Vegetable, and Beef Broths that were each only $1.99 for 32oz). On the other hand, this is only a small portion of what they sell. I'm trying to figure out the logistics here. For example, would they even bother w/ a hot and soup bar considering these items aren't covered by LINK? I've seen people top off large containers from these bars only to be told that their SNAP benefits didn't cover it and so the food was tossed out. It didn't happen often due to the demographics of the area, but in Englewood, who knows. Do you bother carrying a wide selections of vegan food? Do you forgo stocking a ton of pricey organic foods in favor of less expensive conventional foods? What the heck would you do w/ a Whole Body section there?

IDK, I quoted the above post b/c I'm thinking of a Whole Foods that was opened up in the Jamaica Plains section of Boston not that log ago. The area is undergoing rapid gentrification, but it isn't quite there yet (the supermarket it replaced was a old, but well known market that catered to the Hispanic community there). I can't think of an analogous area of Chicago, maybe East Humboldt Park in terms of the demographics (though I'm pretty sure JP has a larger ratio of yuppies and fewer Hispanics). It's been a while since I've been in that area, but maybe on my next trip to Boston I'll pop by and see how it's working out over there. Heck, for all I know, the area could have completely gentrified in the 6 years I was gone.

Interesting experiment, but I don't see how this could work out for both the retailer and the residents. It may turn out that the only people in Englewood who can afford to shop at Whole Foods are Whole Foods employees who happen to live in Englewood.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by MassVt

This is really the $64,000 question---the prices for Whoe Foods are tough to manage even for a middle-class household, to say nothing for an impoverished community..

And yet, people seem to have no problem with spending way more money for drinks at the bar than if they bought the booze themselves. Often times, Whole Foods is still cheaper than going out to eat a restaurant.

Some foods in your kitchen really really really should be organic. Like butter.

[It'sAutomatic]

I challenge anyone to go to Whole Foods and then find similar products, outside of meat and dairy, that are actually cheaper at Jewel or Dominick's. Whole Foods' 365 generic brand is quality stuff and I've been disappointed most times I try to find cheaper substitutes elsewhere. Generic brands can be cheaper but they often taste like crap or can't be found in regular supermarkets that focus on selling big brand-names. Basically, you're paying more for that jar of Jif peanut butter than you would for the 365 jar and you're definitely not getting a better product.

My story: I am a legitimate cheap-a$$ penny pincher throughout life and I save money at Whole Foods.

Grocery money isn't as much of an issue as one would think for Englewood residents thanks to the SNAP program.

[It'sAutomatic]

Originally Posted by MassVt

This is really the $64,000 question---the prices for Whoe Foods are tough to manage even for a middle-class household, to say nothing for an impoverished community..

They really aren't. If you're in the rice-and-beans crowd then a Whole Foods isn't going to help you, but if you have SNAP or want to spend more on whole nutritious foods, then Whole Foods isn't much more expensive than what you'd find at Jewel/Dominick's.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

They really aren't. If you're in the rice-and-beans crowd then a Whole Foods isn't going to help you, but if you have SNAP or want to spend more on whole nutritious foods, then Whole Foods isn't much more expensive than what you'd find at Jewel/Dominick's.

Yep.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

They really aren't. If you're in the rice-and-beans crowd then a Whole Foods isn't going to help you, but if you have SNAP or want to spend more on whole nutritious foods, then Whole Foods isn't much more expensive than what you'd find at Jewel/Dominick's.

See, I may be biased, but I never understood this whole "Whole Paycheck" thing, this idea that Whole Foods Market is so crazy expensive that you need to be upper middle class to shop there. Unless you're only buying organic produce, organic dairy, and organic, grass fed meats, chances are the prices aren't that crazy. And of course, these organic items aren't that much cheaper at other stores either (e.g., I've bought organic strawberries cheaper at Whole Foods than at Jewel).

The more I think about this, the more I think that Whole Foods Market should take an "Aldi" approach w/ this new store and mostly only stock their 365 brand. This can be a smaller footprint store w/ fewer "luxury" sections like the Specialty department where they sell wines and cheese, no huge hot and cold bars, a smaller Whole Body section focusing on some local goods. More so than ever, the store is going to need to look at the demographic and see what will work in a low income, primarily African American community. Spend less shelf space on all natural hair dyes, organic tofu, and spelt bread and dedicate more space to greens, shea butter products, and healthful versions of traditional classics (maybe have a cooking demo on making healthy versions of soul food staples like mac and cheese, for example). I'm starting to come around to this idea and think this could work so long as crime doesn't force it out.

[mjtinmemphis]

It's worth a try.

Whole Foods is not going to open without knowing it will be profitable for them.

They have a reputation for not having store in minority areas. I was reading a year ago that is about to change. Look at Hyde Park other areas like HP demographics are popping up in other cities.

Some of the mom and pop shops in Englewood and other places are just as expensive and you have low quality.

I agree with eevee. This is a great opportunity for the company to see if it will actually work with little risk.