About 7 1/2 years ago, Whole Foods opened its first store in my city. It was quite the giddy party during the grand opening. We made it a family event and had a blast noshing on all the free samples & browsing the aisles, gazing in awe at all the wondrous products and chatting with fellow shoppers.
The olive bar (oooh - the heady fragrance of marinated olives) situated next to the cheese section (swoon-inducing) adjacent to the wine department was a brilliant product merchandizing decision. It was nigh impossible to pass through that section of the store without filling one's basket with delectable goodies. In yesteryear, I was a fashion merchandiser (and am aware of all the tricks of the trade), but still succumbed to the irresistible magic of it all. Who can resist marinated olives, a wedge of brie, and a bottle of Sangiovese?
Also, at that time, organic grass-fed beef & free-range poultry weren't widely available in typical grocery stores. Whole Foods was the go-to store for those items.
In the beginning, my health-conscious friends & I all shopped there for the first few years, because we were willing to pay higher prices for organic items that we couldn't find at other grocery stores. Then, when other grocery stores began offering organic produce & meat, olive bars, and a gourmet cheese selection (as well as other organic items) at lower or comparable prices, the prices at Whole Foods gradually went through the roof with their new/improved campaign of so-called *locally grown/seasonal* produce (locally grown meaning California and Mexico, despite the fact that my local Whole Foods store is in neither of those places).
The nickname "whole paycheck" is a well-deserved nickname, IMO.
I live in an affluent city, but I don't personally know anyone who regularly shops at Whole Foods these days, since we can find similar items for lower prices at other stores. Obviously, plenty of other folks still shop there and the store is thriving (in addition to several other stores that have opened in the greater area).
I will say this, though, I love their bakery. My family still occasionally buys cakes at Whole Foods. Not only are their cakes gorgeous, but they're DEElish with a capital D. I :heartbeat: cake.
The cost of living is very high where I live. My friends & I like to eat well, but we also know how to make that happen without annihilating the budget. With the availability of affordable, healthy, organic foods at other grocery stores, Whole Foods is no longer necessary to many folks here.
I think *image* is important to a lot of folks (in my area) who currently shop there. Whole Foods seems to have evolved (or devolved, depending on one's perception) into a status symbol, much like designer couture - sending a message that one can supposedly afford the designer duds (or the so-called *designer* groceries, as it were).
I have no use for status symbols. I'd rather spend my money on more useful, less pretentious things (or save my money - what a concept
).
