Amazon is buying Whole Foods!! (Houston, Austin: prices, shop, delivery)

[df175]

For those who think this means downsizing at Whole Foods offices, I would expect quite opposite. If anything, Amazon will expand WF in many new directions and likely hire lots of new people. Seattle's costs, while not as bad as the SF Bay, are far higher than Austin. Look for Amazon to expand office and tech headcount here.

[A-Tex]

Originally Posted by riaelise

You are correct in that my issue is more local vs. suburban cities in the general sense. But it's not just RR, but the areas along the IH 35 corridor including Pflugerville, Georgetown and beyond. Pflugerville has 50,000+ people and increasing daily, GT, 50,000+ people and increasing daily, in addition to RR, which is over 100k+ people and increasing daily. Though to be honest I don't have a dog in this fight because I can easily find organic stuff in my local market. But I do know there are many people locally that clamored for an organic grocer for years before Sprouts came.

You keep referring to Whole Foods as an organic grocer. It's much more than that. Their selection blows every Sprouts store out of the water.

[Tams here]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

You keep referring to Whole Foods as an organic grocer. It's much more than that. Their selection blows every Sprouts store out of the water.

Exactly! I call a WFs shopping trip sensory overload! In a good way!

[User error]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Unbelievable. Didn't see this one coming at all. What a revolting devlopment this turned out to be. Losing 2 Austin born and bred Fortune 500 companies with headquarters in Austin in the past 2 ir 3 yrs or so. Whole Foods and Freescale. On the brightside, if there is one, Amazon is an upgrade from Albertson's. Amazon is a better fit in Austin and it's culture than Albertson's.

I wonder if there's any chance of Amazon moving its headquarters to Austin?

Hey. Don't forget about homeaway.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by A-Tex

You keep referring to Whole Foods as an organic grocer. It's much more than that. Their selection blows every Sprouts store out of the water.

Meh, whatever it is. It's a purveyor of organic foods as far as I'm concerned. My point still stands that there's a clear demand in the area and the demographic supports a WF store yet there's none. Sprouts, however inadequate it may or may not be, filled that niche and is profiting from it.

[Mrs.JT]

Originally Posted by riaelise

Meh, whatever it is. It's a purveyor of organic foods as far as I'm concerned. My point still stands that there's a clear demand in the area and the demographic supports a WF store yet there's none. Sprouts, however inadequate it may or may not be, filled that niche and is profiting from it.

I just had the same discussion with my husband a few weeks ago when he went to the Gander Mountain store closing sale. I told him the Gander Mountain site would be perfect for a Whole Foods, albeit competition from Target, Walmart and HEB would be right around the corner. My point was that Round Rock is LONG overdue for a Whole Foods, Central Market, Trader Joe's and/or Costco. I am, however, excited about Aldi coming to Pflugerville. It's a no frills store, but the prices can't be beat, and I always appreciate retail options.

[DCtoTejas]

Whole foods employees are gonna love that Amazon work until you drop culture shock, it will be interesting to see how that works out.

As far as the store goes, I remember it was awesome when it first showed up in DC almost 20 years ago, but we were starving for options at that point. I can count on one hand the number of times I've been to one here in Austin, Central Market is superior in my opinion.

[Tams here]

Originally Posted by Mrs.JT

I just had the same discussion with my husband a few weeks ago when he went to the Gander Mountain store closing sale. I told him the Gander Mountain site would be perfect for a Whole Foods, albeit competition from Target, Walmart and HEB would be right around the corner. My point was that Round Rock is LONG overdue for a Whole Foods, Central Market, Trader Joe's and/or Costco. I am, however, excited about Aldi coming to Pflugerville. It's a no frills store, but the prices can't be beat, and I always appreciate retail options.

Good to hear about an Aldi's making it down here. I've shopped there many times when I'm up in Pa. Awesone prices on groceries. Nice organic line/selection, too. Should I be bummed there won't be one over here in Cedar Park? :-P

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

...I wonder if there's any chance of Amazon moving its headquarters to Austin?

I picture the chance of that as on par with a snowman standing on the Capitol grounds during the month of August. Seriously, what would they like best about Austin: the heat, the lack of wild country such as you'll find near Seattle, or maybe they'd like the state's politics: watching their new headquarters town getting beat like a red-headed stepchild by our very small governor and his identity challenged half wit lieutenant who's afraid to use the bathroom?
At some point you have to realize that Austin isn't "all that."

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by df175

For those who think this means downsizing at Whole Foods offices, I would expect quite opposite. If anything, Amazon will expand WF in many new directions and likely hire lots of new people. Seattle's costs, while not as bad as the SF Bay, are far higher than Austin. Look for Amazon to expand office and tech headcount here.

I agree. I think WF was headed towards layoffs before this.

And I agree with the other who questioned store locations. I never understood why the didn't plant one in Westlake early on. Talk about a demand and optimal demographic.