Whole Foods (Savannah, West Point: sales, buying, organic)

[pink caddy]

Made my first visit to Whole Foods yesterday. Some random comments: certainly they have a beautiful store and selection, expensive, much needed for many people with buxs. Store was packed at 3pm, wonder what it will be like on weekends. Tricky little thing they do with pricing many items so as to look like a bargain. They have a dominant price of "so much a serving". So for example something you see at $1.25 looks good until you realize two serving package is $2.50.

Fish department is outstanding. Can't comment on meats but the stuff looked good(I guess but don't eat meat).

Prolly will go back but not for everyday shopping (as I do at Krogers).

[ellie]

I haven't been yet, but we'll also just shop there for items we can't find elsewhere. A few months ago we shopped at another one of their locations and had a blast.

I feel like having access to healthier options for certain snacks and staples will be worth the added cost. I occasionally shop at the Brighter Day for some items, but I don't like crowds and BD is too small for my comfort level. I'll still go there to stock up on bulk spices occasionally.

[CoastalGAGuy]

A few other things I like about Whole Foods is that they have attracted new development to a part of town that really has been overdue for renovation and re-commercialization, and they feature and strive to bring on new products from local growers/bakers/brewers/etc. They provide a new outlet and trust factor for local businesses involved in the food and beverage industry. Still, the costs are high. Bring on Trader Joes, I say!

[Newsboy]

Went there for the first time to tonight and was completely overwhelmed.. At 7:30 pm the place was packed ... With the most fit, beautiful, well-dressed clientele I've ever seen in Savannah! All of The Landings, Ardlsey Park and a few people from Hilton Head must have been there. The people were as good looking as the food!

Alas, I made the big mistake of going HUNGRY! Realizing my weakness, I hightailed it out of there and skirted next door to Zoe's for an AWESOME dinner! I cannot say enough about Zoe's! Fantastic addition to Savannah's dining scene!

Going back to Whole Foods tomorrow with a friend to hold my hand.

[ellie]

I think I'll go in dressed as a homeless lady today to better represent the folks who can't shop at WF. I'm already half there with coffee spilled down the front of my pajamas and dog hair covering everything else. Just need a pair of crocs and I'lll be good to go.

[DanielAvery]

Funny you should mention that whole "well-dressed" thing, because I saw the same "overdressed" thing going on at The Fresh Market when I was still living in Savannah. My personal favorites were the Landings ladies who would show up at TFM in full tennis garb (not a wrinkle in the little dress, no scuffs on the tennis shoes, cute little "Landings logo" visor and flawless make-up/hair) as if they were just stopping off on the way to the courts--even though Fresh Market was hardly "on the way" to the Landings facilities. I guess it was the only place for "their kind of people" before Whole Foods decided to open. Of course, WF makes Fresh Market look like a bargain basement, so I wonder if Fresh Market will suddenly become "déclassé" with the tennis ladies.

[ellie]

Well, I just got back. Sunday morning seemed as good a time as any to avoid crowds. Still, there were plenty of people in there, including a woman in her yoga uniform, LOL. Plenty of retirees and willowy fashion types.

I checked prices on the kinds of things I typically buy elsewhere and noticed common bulk items like walnuts and french lentils are about the same and pre-prepared frozen food like Amy's brand were higher than Publix and twice the price as Target. Bakery items are in line with Fresh Market and generally more than Publix.

WF will win out by providing a wider variety of specialty foods than any other grocery and go over the top on impulse and healthy convenience foods for busy people.

If you shop the sales and can maintain a sense of discipline, I think anyone can get in and out without totally blowing their budget.

[gentlearts]

I know myself. Maintaining a sense of discipline is not what I chose to do at my age. I'll go there, and come out with some things I didn't know I needed until I got there.
WF is very much like a store I used to go to in Ohio called West Point Market. It may have been the inspiration for Whole Foods. The typical customer was 80, stopped over from the weight of her diamonds, and not caring what anything cost. The lamb chops there were $25. a pound, but they had a lovely restaurant and some things that were special and different.
I might go this week, just to make sure I'm not missing anything.

[ellie]

Well, have fun. I agree, it's hard to know what you're in the mood for till you see it.

The lemon herb salmon patties are quite tasty. We just had them for dinner with sautéed kale and the gray lentils. Their rosemary sour dough bread is also worth trying. They don't wrap the bread till you buy it so it stays nice and crusty.

[TheDarkKnight]

A tub of Organic Baby Spinach was $6.99 at Kroger.

My eyes almost shot out of my eye socket when I saw it was $3.99 at Whole Foods (same brand and everything).

And while we're on the subject, I used to work at the tennis center in the Landings (did a little teaching, and worked the desk when I first started) and of course these ladies are just making that place into a status symbol type of deal.

A lot of them shopped at the IGA on the Island or Kroger, but now Whole Foods is the place to be.

Whole Foods is theoretically out of my price range, but they have a lot of stuff I like in there (I'm transitioning to the organic, gluten-free stuff for the sake of my health). Supplements I can still buy online or GNC, but they have some nice gluten-free stuff for me that even beats Kroger on Gwinnett's prices. I don't plan on buying ALL of my groceries there, just some of the stuff I can't find elsewhere in town that's all under there.

Plus their hot bar Macaroni... couldn't pass that up.