Whole Foods comming to Maple Grove! (Minneapolis, St. Paul: co-ops, purchase, bankrupt)

[mn55110]

I read last week in the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal that Whole Foods Market is going to build in the lifestyle center, "The Shopps at Arbor Lakes" in Maple Grove near Interstate 694 and Hemlock Lane Exit #28. Whole Foods will be taking over where Ultimate Electronics (Audio King) vacated when they went bankrupt; this spot is just a couple stores down from where Trader Joe's is.

When I was at Arbor Lakes on Saturday, a backhoe was being used to demolish the old Ultimate Electronic (Audio King), making way for Whole Foods to build a new building there. Now one of the articles stated that a July openning is what is being projected. Keep in mind Whole Foods also has suburban locations in Edina off of France Avenue S. and in Minnetonka near Ridgedale Shopping Mall in addition to the one on the shores of Lake Calhoun (Minneapolis) and Minnesota's first Whole Foods at the corner of Grand Avenue and Fairview Avenue (St. Paul).

[Beenhere4ever]

Oh good, fake overpriced natural food. Look into the corporation. They are a sham.

[jayhopethismeeturstandard]

What, they are a scam, how surprising...

too bad its like the worst you can get

Whole Fraud: Exposing the Myth of So-Called Natural Foods

[Globe199]

They don't call em Whole Paycheck for nothin

[FierySun]

Who cares? I can understand being excited if they were to open in some arid wasteland like Phoenix but we already have plenty of options for natural food here. We have a million co-ops and farmers markets plus two local verisons of Whole Foods in Lunds and Kowalski's. I'd rather spend my money on those places because at least my dollar will stay in the community and not be shipped off to Texas.

[1stpontiac]

Heh, tough crowd.

[Globe199]

Well, Whole Foods is not exactly the same as Kowalski's and Lunds/Byerly's. WF carries a lot more "weird" (for lack of a better word) items. By that I mean things like resveratrol supplements for $100 a bottle and things like ostrich eggs and almond flour. You probably won't see those at Lunds. So there is a place for WF in our market, but I believe its philosophy has changed. The store in St Paul is small and very much like a co-op you'd expect to see. But the store in Edina is a friggin palace, obviously aimed at high-spenders and people with too much money. Just look at where they're building stores.

By contrast, Kowalski's and L/B are upscale in a way. But they seem more about high quality foods and service than about projecting a certain image. I've found their prices are the same as Cub Foods on some items, whereas almost everything at WF is expensive.

[Beenhere4ever]

Whole Foods serves those who haven't a good choice. And it makes them tons of money.

[jayhopethismeeturstandard]

I support both healthy foods and job creation. I worked at walmart yet still I would not purchase most of the food (meats) there, but some foods (grains, canned vegetable, soups) I would. I like making my own food anyway (grow)

[Beenhere4ever]

Best food store possible. You KNOW what chemicals were (or were not) used. Suggest also heirloom plants.