New Whole Foods Market coming to Tampa! (pricing, shop)

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by D-R-B

I didn't say they wouldn't do well, but i guarantee the store manager's have WAY MORE problems and staff turnover down here than up north.

My parents were both in retail management in the Northeast and in Florida, and they both noticed it THE SECOND they started thier new jobs down here.....they used to complain about it at the dinner table!

Florida will always be the same.......LOW STANDARDS, LOW PAY, HIGH TURNOVER. If you exceed the standards......well, you will be the one "rocking the boat".

Whole Foods doesn't really have the typical retail employment culture. If anything it should be more appealing to work there based on your claim of Florida retail.

[planedition]

Here's some quantitative research for you (thinktank), some "hard, objective" data.

I went to Whole Foods (Tampa) today to buy cilantro. They didn't have any. The produce manager said he had no idea when they would get some. That's after I had to explain to him what cilantro was. I went to Publix. This is not the first time they (WF) have been out of something germane to many American dinners.

I went to Whole Foods about 3 weeks ago to buy some shrimp. I stood at the seafood counter for 20 minutes and no one came over to help me. I left and bought my shrimp at Fresh Market. I remember the last time I shopped for seafood at a WF in Virginia the fishmongers were tripping over themselves in order to help me. As they should be when a customer is about to fork over 25 dollars for 15 shrimp.

Couple months ago I bought some dog food at Whole Foods, because at that time, it was the only place that carried the dog food I buy. When I got home and opened up the bag, all manner of insects flew up out of the bag. Because it was so old.


Needless to say, I've never had any of these experiences at any WF in Massachusetts, Texas, California, Virginia, etc.


WF Tampa = run by incompetents who don't measure up to their brethren in other states

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by planedition

Here's some quantitative research for you (thinktank), some "hard, objective" data.

I went to Whole Foods (Tampa) today to buy cilantro. They didn't have any. The produce manager said he had no idea when they would get some. That's after I had to explain to him what cilantro was. I went to Publix. This is not the first time they (WF) have been out of something germane to many American dinners.

I went to Whole Foods about 3 weeks ago to buy some shrimp. I stood at the seafood counter for 20 minutes and no one came over to help me. I left and bought my shrimp at Fresh Market. I remember the last time I shopped for seafood at a WF in Virginia the fishmongers were tripping over themselves in order to help me. As they should be when a customer is about to fork over 25 dollars for 15 shrimp.

Couple months ago I bought some dog food at Whole Foods, because at that time, it was the only place that carried the dog food I buy. When I got home and opened up the bag, all manner of insects flew up out of the bag. Because it was so old.


Needless to say, I've never had any of these experiences at any WF in Massachusetts, Texas, California, Virginia, etc.


WF Tampa = run by incompetents who don't measure up to their brethren in other states

So you are judging the entire state by this one inadequate Whole Foods? Ridiculous.

Whole Foods in Sarasota is NOTHING like that - it is a really a really, really nice store. You would not have ANY of those experiences at this store. Actually the only reason I don't shop there (besides expense) is that it is not that conveniently located for me, and I can easily get most of what I need in my "shopping loop." I think that any stores (including Publix, Sweetbay, etc.) location can make a difference in the quality of the store. The south Tampa WF sounds like it's not so nice.

[planedition]

Love the WF in Sarasota. Been there coupla times. Wish I could shop there.

Part of the reason I think the WFs in Florida are not that great OVERALL is because a lot of them did not start out as WF. They started out as Bread of Life or Wild Oats, and they (WF corporate) kept a lot of those employees and store infrastructure.

I do believe, however, that the Sarasota store is a WF original.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by planedition

Love the WF in Sarasota. Been there coupla times. Wish I could shop there.

Part of the reason I think the WFs in Florida are not that great OVERALL is because a lot of them did not start out as WF. They started out as Bread of Life or Wild Oats, and they (WF corporate) kept a lot of those employees and store infrastructure.

I do believe, however, that the Sarasota store is a WF original.

Yes, that could be it. And yes, Sarasota WF is an original. Even though I mostly can't afford to shop there and it's not that convenient for me to go, I am glad my city has it. Who knows, I may give it another try real soon. I hear their store brand is pretty reasonable.

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by planedition

Here's some quantitative research for you (thinktank), some "hard, objective" data.

You provided experiential anecdotes, not hard, objective data. That's subjective information. Objective data would be scientific research, poll measurement, economic analyses and even information from Whole Foods themselves (like per state sales reports and related customer feedback). Objective data takes individual opinions and anecdotes out of the equation, and instead relies on larger scale data to make an informed opinion about a topic.

So saying "the Florida workforce is inferior!" because your fries at Sonic weren't salty enough holds zero water in a public forum. My fries at the Sonic in my old town in Iowa were saltier. Should I then suggest that Floridians suck at cooking when compared to Iowans? I'd be an asshat to suggest that.

There's a whole lotta people here dogging the Florida workforce based on personal experiences. Such blanket statements can be insulting-- and certainly not hard, objective data.

[D-R-B]

Originally Posted by Gatornation

Whole Foods doesn't really have the typical retail employment culture. If anything it should be more appealing to work there based on your claim of Florida retail.

I'm sure it is more appealing to work there........but that doesn't change the pool of applicants that they will draw from.

All I know is, I've traveled all over and I am always shocked at the difference in the way employees look and act in other states.......I'm talking about convienient stores, grocery, at the mall, ect. There is an immediately noticable difference.

If you dont believe me, drive to New Jersey and go to a "WAWA" convienient store- the best convienient store EVER........all the way down to thier professional, proficient, ADULT employees that make shopping there a much better experience.

After 20+ years in Florida, and extensive travel north, I am absolutely convinced that there is a MAJOR DIFFERENCE in work ethic and pride with the majority of the workforce in other states compared to everything I've experienced in FL. NO ONE will ever convince me otherwise......my relatives and friends that visit from the North have noticed and commented on the same things......"service really sucks here in FL"........

One thing is for sure.....the Whole Foods employees will collectively make less per hour, and/or less salary than thier northern counterparts doing the SAME JOB here in FL...........low pay and low standards= crap

My father's 14+ years with Kash n Karry/ Sweetbay were filled with daily dealings with scumbag employees with CONSTANT domestic problems brought to work, huge turnover, raging alcoholics, and general white trash issues.........

"good help is really hard to find in Florida"..............people have been saying that for decades.

Of course......if you are still in awe of no snow, palm trees, sunshine, swimming pools, beaches, disney, ect......you probably havent noticed.

[planedition]

Hard, objective data. Is that the same hard objective data that economists rely on to tell us we are in an economic recovery? I don't think anyone on this forum is dumb enough to believe that there is such a thing as "objective data."

If you know anything about business, you know that customer engagement/experience is the first and last thing that keeps companies in business.

I never said the Florida workforce is inferior. I said the Tampa Whole Foods store and its staff are inferior.

[thethinktank]

Originally Posted by planedition

Hard, objective data. Is that the same hard objective data that economists rely on to tell us we are in an economic recovery?

Yes, but I'm certain you have a world of anecdotal experiences to prove those studies wrong from your armchair.

Originally Posted by planedition

I never said the Florida workforce is inferior. I said the Tampa Whole Foods store and its staff are inferior.

You didn't, others did. But your knock on the Whole Foods staff is in the same vein, since it's just one man's experience that everyone must accept is accurate and all-encompassing.

[planedition]

Isn't that what this forum is about? One man's experience, one man's opinion? I think you have a little too much time on your hands to overthink, "thinktank".

Since you are such a big fan of Greenwise, I'm sure you would agree that the staff there is leaps and bounds better than the staff at WF Tampa.

But then again, anecdotal "data" doesn't "count for much".