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Sorry, we're just not a fan of Whole Foods. It's one of those buzz phrases- "Starbucks", "Irish pub", and "Golden Tee" are others- that makes us break out in hives and forces us to crane our heads looking for ballcap-wearing graduates of Big Ten universities. Chicagoist is a frugal lot and has often asked itself whether we're paying for the products Whole Foods sells or the privilege of shopping at Whole Foods. Besides when we can buy fresh produce for a fraction of the cost at Stanley's, Cermak Produce, Egg Store on the South side, farmers markets, or any of the legion of mom-and-pop produce stores across the city, which gives us more money for beer.
So we weren't surprised to find this article in one of the training papers this morning. Plans are afoot for the largest Whole Foods in the city- 55,000 square feet- to be built in the South Loop. Slated for a 2K7 opening the Whole Foods will be the anchor for a new five-story shopping mall called Southgate Market which will also house a Linens N' Things, DSW, Office Depot, a Bank of America branch and parking for 1,100 cars.
The area, which in the past two years has seen the opening of a two story Target at Roosevelt and Clark and a "boojie" Jewel at Roosevelt and Wabash, is one of the most ethnically diverse and rapidly growing neighborhoods in the city, so it could use some more retail nearby. But with the new Jewel we just mentioned and a Dominick's at Roosevelt and Canal that was just renovated in the past five years, Chicagoist wonders what will happen to the stores that make Chicago Chicago.
Image courtesy of Beautiful Atrocities.
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This blog is a bit of a snob sometimes ... "I'm just toooo coooool to shop at a grocery store. I get my produce at an indy market!"
If Whole Food didn't charge $5 for an organic apple or delivered, then I'd probably be more open to darkening their doorway, until then, I'll go there on occasion for cheese and that is about it.
There's also going to be a new "Whole Paycheck" at The Center on Halsted. You can get your Pom juice, edamame, and methedone treatments all in one convenient spot.
This blog is a bit of snob ALL OF THE TIME!
Seriously, we're just trying to support the local, Chicago-based businesses, rb. That's all. There is no sense in spending more money than necessary at Whole Foods when you can get a comparable product cheaper, at a mom-and-pop place.
People bitch, piss and moan about gentrification and yuppies and on and on. One of the most effective ways to keep Chicago's neighborhoods unique and maintain their character is to support these sorts of businesses.
I go to WF for produce and yogurt. Both are affordable and good. The "indy" store near me only carries some Aldi-type brand of artificially sweetened yogurt. Ick.
This past week I got peaches from the indy store near and at WF. I had to throw out the indy peaches since they were mealy and gross -- the ones from WF were juicy and sweet. (And no, the store I go to isn't a crummy CertiSaver)
Independent stores aren't saints. It's all business.
Whole Foods is good for lunch and they stock a lot of stuff you're just not gonna find at your mom and pop, not to mention their beer prices/selection are surprisingly good too...guess I better find a ballcap to put on!
I understand the support for local businesses. In fact, Whole Foods is probably the only major chain store that I shop at. As a vegan living on the north side, I have yet to find another grocery story that has as much health food/vegan options as Whole Foods. I still buy all my produce at Stanley's. Whole Foods produce is actually not that good and way too overpriced. I am amazed that there aren't any co-ops on the north side. Until that happens, I'll be shopping at Whole Foods guilt free.
I welcome as many Whole Foods as possible, until the local supermarkets like Jewel step up and provide nice clean stores with a good selection of product. Living in Lakeview without a car, I can either take public transportation to a decent supermarket or shop at Jewel. When Whole Foods comes to Halsted, I'll certainly shop there!
I love farmer's markets and independent shops, but you can't Besides being consistently ranked near the top of surveys ranking the "best places to work", the the jobs and tax revenues it creates likely do more for Chicago than many of the indy chains and farmers, whose proprietors often head back to the 'burbs or farming areas after their work is done. Got to the Division Street farmers market, and tell me how many of those farmers are from Chicago....almost nil, those profits go back to WI, MI, and rural IL....Whole Foods produces jobs for locals who in turn spend money at other shops and boost the economy. Get off your high horse, and think about the economics.
I love farmer's markets and independent shops, but you can't denigrate WF just for being a chain. Besides being consistently ranked near the top of surveys ranking the "best places to work", the jobs and tax revenues it creates likely do more for Chicago than many of the indy chains and farmers markets, whose propritors often head back to the 'burbs or farming areas after their work is done. Go to the Division Street farmers market, and tell me how many of those farmers are from Chicago....almost nil, those profits go back to WI, MI, and rural IL....Whole Foods produces jobs for locals who in turn spend money at other shops and boost the economy. Get off your high horse, and think about the economics.
Whole Foods is good for lunch and actually, their beer prices/selection are surprisingly good too...guess I better find a ballcap to put on!
Many things at Whole Foods are a better deal than Jewel or Dominick's. Most Jewels and Dominicks also have abysmal, overpriced produce selections, and not everybody lives near a gem like Edgewater Produce. I'd love it if a Whole Foods opened by me, mostly for the cheaper hummus, etc., and better beer and wine than my crap Dominicks has.
I think the columnist here is making a pretty large leap to be comparing Whole Foods to Walmart. There are very transparent, very concrete reasons why people hate Wal-mart. It actively forbids union labor, barely pays a living wage to its employees, and at one point, was trying to dodge the city's environmental codes in the planned construction of their West Side store.
Whole Foods, on the other hand, has some of the best social responsibility practices out there. They offer plenty of fair trade products, pay their employees a better-than-average wage, and also give them full benefits. One of the reasons those apples are so expensive is due to the way they run their business.
If you don't want to shop there, fine. You're more than welcome to go to Stanley's or whatever mom and pop out there. But don't piss and moan about gentrification when you're talking about a neighborhood that could really use jobs. Especially good-paying jobs with health insurance.
what's "boojie" jewel?
To rb: from this side of the bar if we were trying to be snobs we'd be advocating shopping at Whole Foods exclusively.
Ivy makes a valid point. Independent stores aren't all saints. However, compared to the megastores spotting the landscape more frequently these days I (dropping the royal "we" bandied about here at Chicagoist for a moment) wonder if we're reaching a time where the Jewels and Dominicks of today will become the Certi Savers of tomorrow. Dominicks has been beset by labor strife for years between the grocers union and parent company Safeway, who say that it is too expensive to operate those stores the way they're currently fashioned. This might account in some fashion to the oft-shitty service I get there.
That's why I try to favor smaller grocers like the ones I mentioned I the post. They have good product and since we're still ostensibly a free-market economy I'm allowed to spend my money where I please. You wanna go to Whole Foods, feel free.
I'm definitely not passing judgment. Unless we're talking about the Downing Strteet Memo.
stanley's is incredible. if you don't buy your produce there you'd better not live with 2 miles of this store, because you're cheating yourself out of cheap, high quality fruit and veggies.
fun fact: the owner of whole foods is a major donor to the republican party! anybody still feeling proud to shop there?
he's figured out how to sell conscientious liberals their consciences, then pass the proceeds onto his chums in the white house. huzzah!
stanley's is incredible. if you don't buy your produce there you'd better not live with 2 miles of this store, because you're cheating yourself out of cheap, high quality fruit and veggies.
fun fact: the owner of whole foods is a major donor to the republican party! anybody still feeling proud to shop there?
he's figured out how to sell conscientious liberals their consciences, then pass the proceeds onto his chums in the white house. huzzah!
I think it is a good use of the space, the south loop still has plenty of small storefronts for independants, the proposed location is just and old railroad storage facility. Not too many independent chains would ever be able to use the space. The argument that the superstore is going to swallow the independent does not fly with me. Don't you think it would have happened by now? I see more independent businesses thriving now more than ever.
I'd be happy with almost any grocery store. I live south of Wicker Park and it is a grocery store wasteland, and Edmar's just doesn't always cut it.
The CEO - John Mackey - is a longtime Libertarian and has no affiliation with the Republican party. A simple check on buyblue.org would show you that the company and its officers did not donate any money to either candidate in 2004 or political action committee. He's been critical of unions, yes, but hasn't stopped WF stores, such as the one in Madison, to move forward with plans to unionize.
Show me a Jewel or Dominicks that pays 100 percent of health care for full-time employees. I'm sure WF has its faults, but it will at least bring some decent jobs down that growing area.
And for the record, I rarely shop at WF. I buy a majority of my produce at Stanley's and the rest from Trader Joe's or Jewel.
Some guy: Actually, the facts are that Jon Mackey, the CEO and President of WF is a libertarian who personally gave $2G (that's $2000) to Bush last year. (WF as a company gave nothing.)
I don't like Mackey's contribution either, but that doesn't change the facts that WF's social responsibility practices are better than most. There are some rumblings over their anti-union stances, but since the employees are paid better than average and treated better, I haven't seen much of a backlash.
If I may throw my $.02 in here...
I live within walking distance of Jewel, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's--I shop at all three depending upon what I need. At any rate, for service and value, Trader Joe's just can't be beat.
Scratch my last comment. The John Mackey listed as a Bush contributor on opensecrets.org is not the same John Mackey who runs Whole Foods.
So yeah: some guy>> I don't know where you're getting your facts.
never been compelled to post a comment here but sending the nukes out on Whole Foods when there are so many better targets seems a shame. There is room for both the Stanley's and WF's of the world.
As dan said, WF's costs more because prices reflect their corporate values of providing benefits and equitable wages to employees, supporting sustainable agriculture, and environmentally-friendly products. It's not possible to support sustainable agricultural practices with just the mom and pop stands. When you (and if you can afford to) pay more to shop at WF, you are voting with your money to support these practices. As the writer said, if beer is more important you'll shop somewhere else.
Somebody check really quick to make sure Stanley is donating to all the pertinent causes and politicians!
to a comment earlier re: North Side co-op, there is one called New Leaf-- majority of produce is distributed directly to them from local farmers. Weekly box subscriptions are available... their web site is www.newleafnatural.net
Chicagoist needs to get its head out of its ass. I dare you to compare the ingredients of Jewel Peanut Butter and the similarly-priced Whole Foods peanut butter and tell me the WFM version is not worth two cents more. Oreos with no hydrogenated oils; well-priced olive oil rated one of the best by Cook's Illustrated; and so on, and so on. Do you know how hard it is to find sweet relish made without high fructose corn syrup? WFM is a gift to anyone who doesn't want to die before 50.
Trader Joe's uses caged eggs, which is why PETA is protesting their franchise right now; all of WFM's meat is free range and grain fed. Have you ever looked at Jewel's meat? The store that "makes Chicago Chicago?" Don't be ridiculous. The Stockyards once made Chicago Chicago, too. Sometimes change is good.
And yes, it's good for the economy. WFM pays wayyy above minimum wage and offers health and dental and insurance and a dozen other benefits. I worked for one of those local, mom-and-pop groceries in high school. I got paid dirt and my job included placing labels over the past-due expiration dates on old boxes of cereal. Yay, support the local groceries ...
Exactly, Joel! Independents can be as good or bad as chains. I worked at an independent in Wisconsin which was, as I slowly found out, pretty much mob-owned. The owners also were sexist and I witnessed some crude behavior towards a mentally-challenged employee. I'm sure they weren't donating much money to charity or progressive political causes.
But they also had great produce and a good selection of imported foods. I'm sure the customers had no clue about their business practices.
Leigh -
Trader Joe's may sell caged eggs, but you you also have your choice of cage-free (more expensive though), which is what I buy...
I welcome Whole Foods in my neighborhood.
I live in Printer's Row and do not own a car.
Please take your hipper-than-thou indy-asses to the Jewel at Wabash and Roosevelt (older than 2 years, by the way) and go shopping. It is horrible. The produce is apalling, far worse than other Jewel locations I've been to.
The Dominick's at Roosevelt and Canal is better, but I welcome a store that has more to offer our neighborhood than staple groceries. Whole Foods has good gourmet food, great prepared foods, a nice bakery and the best produce selection in the city. I would not buy my entire grocery list there because it is a little pricey.
Please also note, Chicagoist, that there will be no bastions of cool, hip, gritty reality torn down to make way for the store. It will be located in what is now a blighted empty lot eyesore of deserted train tracks, mud, weeds, rats and trash.
Please, keep your street cred - stay in the much hipper areas of town. I am happy that my diverse neighborhood will become a little more livable by the addition of what others on the north side take for granted.
If you want to get angry at a grocery store, go after Treasure Island. I was with my roommate when he checked out an entire cart full of groceries only to be told that they don't accept food stamps. Why doesn't Treasure Island want lower income people shopping at their stores? Afraid it will ruin the ambiance?
But you know what? Had we come out and been all excited about Whole Foods building in the South Loop there would have been JUST AS MANY PEOPLE giving us a hard time for that, too.
Seriously. Can't win.
Erin: Don't think that would happen. Gentrification is one thing, but you're talking about an empty lot.
The article is frowning upon a socially responsible company that is willing to invest money into an otherwise blighted neighborhood. Many people in that neighborhood really need jobs. Jobs with health insurance. The argument that it will cause the neighborhood (or Chicago) to lose its character or identity pales in comparison to the need for good jobs that improve the standard of living of its residents.
I would understand if you were arguing that it's replacing some thriving, unique, independent community, but it's not that. There's nothing there right now.
It's not everyday that a Chicagoist post gets 33 comments...most days you barely get that in total (and hell, I'm responsible for half of them). It's just that this was a particularly goofy conceit.
Dan, I completely understand. You make some fantastic points, too. I don't have a "street-cred" or an "indie" agenda. I'm far too much of a dork and am far too old to care about such things. Personally, I just try and promote GOOD Chicago-based, independent businesses because that's my choice. It certainly doesn't mean I don't see the benefits in places such as WF. Really it doesn't. And each neighborhood needs to decide what's right for its respective community. Chicago is far too diverse to approach this like a cookie cutter.
And take it from us: WE WOULD get snippy comments from people who think WF is just another tool of corporate blah blah blah. Trust me on this one. When it comes to topics like this, the opinions are all over the board and Chuck's just happens to be one of them, you know?
But you know what? Had we come out and been all excited about Whole Foods building in the South Loop there would have been JUST AS MANY PEOPLE giving us a hard time for that, too.
Seriously. Can't win.
You're not here to "win". You've taken an editorial stance and should stand by it. Fine.
I just disagree with you and your elitist attitude. The south loop needs places like this. Please try to be more knowledgeable about what you write.
Look at the whole picture. We're a neighborhood that until only recently was urban decay, empty lots, and a few rehabbed buildings. Today the building boom is going unabated and unchecked by the city, enormous condo towers rising where none were before, and many more on the way. A recently built "super dorm" for Columbia, De Paul, Roosevelt and other schools just brought many hundreds more young people into what was formerly an empty parking lot.
Also, go actually look around the south loop sometime. There is no Stanley's or other mom 'n' pop produce stores ANYWHERE. None. We've got White Hens and 7-11s on every other corner. Not one decent independant grocery store around! Need a bank branch? We've got those by the dozens,. and plenty of dry cleaners too.
Honestly, I can't think of a better area to develop a mall like the one you wrote about. They won't be tearing down homes and bookstores to make way for it, and the intersection of Roosevelt and Canal is equipped to handle the traffic. It's a centrally located area surrounded by a fast-growing neighborhood.
And it's taking the place of a filthy, barren, trash-strewn windswept empty lot!
Hey Jeff -- I think your points are fantastic. Seriously, I do. Makes total sense to me. See my comments above. You're entitled to want WF in your neighborhood if that's what best for your hood and I think it's great that you've spent so much time here today saying your peace.
At the same token, people are entitled to disagree with you and I have a hard time understanding how it's "elitist" for me to say that no matter the opinion, with a subject like this we can't please everyone.
Yeah, but then you'll all cry when the rents and condo prices go through the roof because the Whole Foods and the Starbucks and the Borders Books moved in and ruined the character and affordability of your neighborhood...
Okay- regarding my use of the term elitist-
My neighborhood will in no way be hurt by the construction of WF, or the mall surrounding it. If you can somehow argue that it will be, then please do so.
WF will not replace anything, or destroy anything. Period. I find that someone bemoaning the loss of "the stores that make Chicago chicago" is taking an elitist, and even patronizing tone in this case.
What you also neglected to mention is that the White Palace Grill, a long standing fixture of the neighborhood, will remain untouched on the corner of Canal and Roosevelt. The developer offered to buy them out and they refused. So the one single, charming old-timey place that was even threatened is staying. And will probably benefit from the increased foot traffic, and mall employees who will eat there on their lunch breaks.
Erin: I'm not accusing you or your fellow staffers of being too "hip" like some of the other readers here are.
I think the reason you have so many strong opinions here is that Chuck is making a pretty weak argument/attack and is also making some illogical and unfair comparisons. Whole Foods is not Walmart. It's as unlike Walmart as you can get, in terms of business practices. So few corporations are as responsible as Whole Foods, and they should be commended, not attacked.
Furthermore, you're arguing against building in a neighborhood that really needs help. It's not displacing anyone, just getting them more work, and perhaps a better standard of living.
Like others have said, you don't usually get this many posts unless you've touched a nerve.
Ahhh! Got it -- thanks for the clarification, Jeff.
I am asking an honest question here, is there a difference when Wal-Mart comes into a neighborhood with one of their big boxes then when whole foods comes in with their big box? I suppose the products that whole foods sells are not made by a six year old in Indonesia, the prices are actually higher than the ma and pops because they sell better products (i am not sure if any indoor store can beat whole foods produce!!), and they don’t build on Indian burial grounds or in a suburban way.
I would recommend that they keep it small scale before they run into all the problems that every corporation gets into... the need for never-ending growth and a disconnection with the human scale, sometimes things are just good the way they are.
Can I just say that the Lone Star Times article you linked to in this post is ridiculously bias and filled with half-truths, especially concerning GM foods and pesticides.
The goal of these practices is $money$, not good healthy food or a sustainable agriculture.
Tip for the future: Lonestartimes.com is not a good source of information unless you are from Texas, wish you were from Texas, or plan on moving to Texas in the near future.
Ironically, although I'm not the biggest fan of Whole Foods, I LOVE Fox & Obel.
Discuss.
So...perhaps a bit of a heavy-handed URL...but this site has a ton of mom 'n pop grocery stores listed:
http://www.fuckcorporategroceries.net/
Does anyone know of an independent mom-and-pop kind of place to buy *organic* produce? I would genuinely like to know. I live down the street from an inexpensive independent produce place, but I seldom shop there because they carry no organic stuff at all. To me, it's worth paying more at WF not to eat poison. I live far away from Stanley's, so haven't been there in a while--do they sell anything organic?
Although nowhere near the so called "Epicenter of the city" The not on north side establishment (NONSE) County Fair Foods in Beverly has a really good selection of organics. If you would like to get there without a car you can walk down western to 108th st it will be on your left hand side.
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/47067,0,949908.location?coll=mmx-dating_features
Sorry my left hand side, your right hand side
Hey Jeff, there's a farmer's market in Printer's Row almost every summer weekend at Polk and Dearborn. If you want good produce, it'll be a much shorter walk than the Whole Foods.
I live there too and the area where they're putting the WF needs some economic development big time (they're also putting in a DSW, an Office Depot, etc.). I'm ready to firebomb the next fucking bank, cell phone store or real estate office that goes up in the area. I'm thrilled we're gonna start seeing some sales tax from major businesses, too. But if you want hipper-than-thou, there is no more hipper-than-thou grocery chain than Whole Foods. And I'm including Treasure Island in that too.
I shop at that Jewel every week, my friend. Produce aside, it's not bad at all. Then again, I'm not shopping there for Mt. Athos Green Olives with Kritamo. I'm looking for bread, cereal, milk, etc.
Jewel rulez!
Whole Foods sucks!
w00t!
What I mean to say is...I'M COMMENT #50! Nyah nyah!
ugh......it's so lame and such a cliche to attack starbucks. what is so wrong with starbucks? nothing. the coffee is damn good. they treat the employees fantastically as well. i also frequent peet's and argo tea for my coffee. julius meinl tastes like hills bros. intelligentsia is watery.
I probably won't shop at Whole Foods... I like my money more than I like their food...
However, the Jewel on Roosevelt is small and tends to be a little under-stocked. I do shop there a lot, since it's super convenient, but it's not the best shopping experience in the world.
The Dominick's on Roosevelt is awful. The stock is fine, but there are *never* enough cashiers on duty, and unlike the Jewel, they have no self-serve lanes. I would shop there more often, but I like to get my damn shopping done in under three hours. I've seen people die waiting in line there.
I do trek up to Stanley's (or I may soon be saying "did") for produce. I've been shopping there since I moved to Chicago, but I have to say, in the past year or so, the produce has gone really far down in quality. Someone above asked if the sell organic, and yes, they do (it's not all organic, though). It used to be really great quality at outstanding prices. The prices are still pretty good, but the quality has really gone down in my opinion, your mileage (and tastes) may vary.
But I'm not going to get my panties in a bunch over a WF in the 'hood. Dominick's and Jewel are stores that "make Chicago Chicago."??! Puh-lease... Jewel is owned by the Albertson's chain and Dominick's is owned by Safeway. (Based on 2003 sales, they were number 4 and 5 ranked national grocery chains, respectively--Wal*Mart was #1. Whole Foods came in at a measly 38.)
Gee, they are building a new (arguably needed and arguably high-quality) store on what used to be a dirt-lot sh*t hole? Cry me a damn river.
My objection to whole foods is that their produce sucks rocks. Seriously. You can compare it to Jewel, but that's a straw man. There's good produce available, grown locally, but whole foods and its ilk rarely source locally. Even for stuff that DESPERATELY needs local sourcing like tomatoes.
So you go to whole foods and you buy that $4.99 box of earthbound farms arugula, which is hydroponically grown (and therefore mostly flavorless), and which costs whole foods $1 -- after transportation fees. Literally, $1 to get it to the store where you pay $5. For SHITTY QUALITY ARUGULA. On average whole foods has a profit margin 50% higher than safeway/dominicks and albertson's/jewel.
This is the main reason I hate whole foods.
There are other reasons:
Just because whole foods has the best olive oil among major grocery stores doesn't make it good olive oil. If you went a mile west of the new location you'd be at Conte di Savoia, where you could get many FAR better olive oils for less money. Or a few blocks north you can get some great greek olive oils at Athens Grocery.
The markup on cheeses is quite large (although not as bad as the produce), and they're mostly presliced and prewrapped. Which is horrid. Go to Pastoral or the Cheese Stands Alone if you actually care about cheese. You probably won't even pay a premium to go to a real cheese shop.
The butcher is overpriced and the butchers are mostly unskilled or disinterested. The mixture of choice/prime is erratic and neither is particularly well marbled for its grade. Just go to a real butcher. It'll be the same price but they'll know what they're doing. Same goes for the fish on all counts.
If you're willing to pay a large premium and are willing to accept mediocre to crappy products just for the sake of saving some time shopping, go ahead. It's your loss, literally and figuratively.
But don't delude yourself into thinking that the stuff whole foods is selling is the best around. Or even the best in a 2 mile radius. Odds are very, very good that it's nowhere near.
Oh, and people in this thread vastly over-estimate the quality of WF wages compared to the big chains -- in fact, they're pretty much the same or lower than the median wage at places like Albertson's/Jewel or Safeway/Dominicks (both of which are unionized).
The local independents are a different story, and wages there are generally not nearly as decent.
Compare whole foods to, say, Safeway. A new hire checker at whole foods will earn $8/hr, while a new hire checker (with no experience) at safeway will earn nearly $10/hour. Meat cutters/butchers: $18/hour at safeway, compared to $9-12 at whole foods.
You're just deluding yourselves. Whole foods should be commended for paying decent wages without unionization, but they don't pay as much as a union shop (in general).
Oh, and people in this thread vastly over-estimate the quality of WF wages compared to the big chains -- in fact, they're pretty much the same or lower than the median wage at places like Albertson's/Jewel or Safeway/Dominicks (both of which are unionized).
The local independents are a different story, and wages there are generally not nearly as decent.
Compare whole foods to, say, Safeway. A new hire checker at whole foods will earn $8/hr, while a new hire checker (with no experience) at safeway will earn nearly $10/hour. Meat cutters/butchers: $18/hour at safeway, compared to $9-12 at whole foods.
You're just deluding yourselves. Whole foods should be commended for paying decent wages without unionization, but they don't pay as much as a union shop (in general).
"Mediocre to crappy"? Let's not get carried away with our hyperbole here. Have you ever been to the aforementioned Edmar? Or most other "Mom and Pop" grocer in town here? Yikes. And heck yeah, I am willing to sacrifice a little quality and pay a little more if it means I'm not spending my Saturday morning driving up and down Western to buy single products here and there for my standard weekly groceries. My free time is much more valuable to me than getting, say, the highest grade olive oil possible. But to each their own.
Basically though I only use Whole Foods for the cheap lunch counter. Whatever.
I prefer to shop at local, mom-n-pop stores not because of snobbery, but because I feel it's extremely important to keep local business people in business. And I'll happily travel a few extra blocks, even a couple extra miles to do so. They are the backbone and foundation of what this country is SUPPOSED to stand for. When large conglomerates move into the neighborhoods, these people lose a lifetime's worth of work and sacrifice, not to mention their livelihood.
As an aside, if you're looking for organic produce at a reasonable price, this is a great delivery service:
http://www.kingshillfarm.com/index.php
They have quite a few locations in the Chicago area and are willing to add more if there are enough people interested.
joel -- thank you! I don't have a car, and I'm not willing to ride my bike or schlep loads of groceries back on the bus half way across town, so for the most part Edmar's is where I go(as that is the only grocery store within a mile of where I live), and I invite you all to go there, it is on the corner of Chicago and Damen next to the McDonalds, and then tell me about how "wonderful" all those 'mom and pop' places are (rolls eyes). About every two months I borrow a car and go beserk seeing what I've been missing, and no I dont' feel bad about it.
I'm all for supporting independents in all businesses but they've gotta hold up their end of the bargain too, whether it's quality or convenience or price or selection or service...just give me a reason to support you beyond just being a Mom and Pop. Unfortunately the majority of independent groceries in town here are rotholes.
Ed - Where are you getting your numbers?
An ex of mine worked the deli counter at WF, and was making $14.50 at the start (w/ no experience).
I too would like to know where you're getting these numbers from? I used to work at Osco which as we all know is also owned by Albertsons and in most locations essentially part of Jewel. Though I didn't work a registar or anything to do with food directly just based on how I was treated, compensated, etc, I would be flabbergasted to learn that Jewell actually paid a DECENT wage much less one comparable to WF. Jewel treats their employees like crap in most cases and I used to float from store to store so I got to see that same treatment in many locations. Christmas bonus? Nope. Health benefits? Only if they can't widdle you below 37.5 hours, and believe me, they try. The Christmas party consisted of Browns chicken at lunch time. Management there is completely out of touch and could give a rats ass about doing anything but pleasing THEIR immediate bosses with unrealistic promises and platitudes. My girlfriend used to work at WF when she was just out of highschool, part time. She worked there for three years and made pretty good pay for having no experience. In addition benefits were avaible to her in some degree even though she was only part time. When she left WF after three years she had $1000 in extra holidays, dividends, etc that she cashed in. I also had two other friends who worked at WF with no experience making decent wages and who actually were able to transfer to other stores acrossed the country when they moved preserving their pay levels etc. I'm not saying WF is perfect or even good but relatively speaking it beats a lot of other places retail wise.
As far as shopping in grocery stores in the city goes, like most things in large cities space is limited thus the cramping effect of store design. Everyone has their priorites when it comes to groceries. Is it convienent location, cheap prices, variety of products, quality, or maybe even labor practices or social converns? Whatever. I think most people are willing to trade some money and/or quality in exchange for convience and more free time. I am. The Jewell in Wicker Park is right near my house and boy does it suck. Dirty, cramped, usually crowded. I hate how Jewell (and Dominicks) both have that bs card thing that you have to use if you want to get the "sale price". I don't have a car either so it is nice to be able to pick up ten things or so here and there and walk home. WF is right down North Ave as is Stanleys. I'll admit I use WF more often primarliy because I can get more things done in one stop than if I were to just go to Stanleys (which by the way also gets pretty crowded). So I don't have any specific allegance to any store or chain, I just don't want to waste a lot of my free time.
And the whole thing about having bitchy cashiers that smell or snobby shoppers who spend to much time reading stuff is a pretty superficial thing to complain about. I get just as annoyed with people in Jewell or Dominicks as I do in WFs. Who cares, geez. I'd be happier too if everyone moved out of my way, was absolutely silent in my presence except for when addressed by me, and smelled like roses but I don't think its going to happen.
Whole Foods doesn't release their average salary, but the starting salaries are well documented in numerous newspaper articles and studies of the relative benefits of unions.
The UFCW is, by and large, a crappy union. And I don't claim that WF workers are treated better or worse than workers at union shops. I do claim that you all tend to overestimate the quality of the wages at WF relative to UFCW shops.
I also agree that anything in that space by the White Palace is better than the empty lot that's currently there. And the area has very few independent grocers, and those that they do have suck.
My big problem is the sub-par goods on sale. Nothing they have is much better than barely above average, and some of it is miserable. I'm speaking as a foodie here, not a hipster or a corporate shill or a bobo. I love good quality food, and whole foods doesn't provide it. And I'm willing to spend an extra 30 minutes driving around going to the great independent specialty stores, especially since it generally saves me money.
Here are some tips:
Cook seasonally. It'll taste better and it'll be cheaper. If you're trying to buy oranges in july or apples in march or tomatoes in any month other than july or august, you're going to pay too much for pretty bad produce. Go to a GOOD farmers market (green city market is much more local-obsessed than the city of chicago markets. the oak park farmers market is good too) or get a share in a CSA like Angelic Organics. Or grow your own.
Order staples online. There are a number of online grocers that are price-competitive with WF and Jewel, even after shipping, and generally offer a better selection. It's hard to find lentils from the puy region of france in the chicago area, but it's easy online. Same for real wild rice (not cultivated), good mustards, etc.
Take advantage of the wealth of hispanic grocers in the city. Those carnicerias/fruiterias/supermercados around town don't always have the best produce, but their butchers are generally good and very cheap. You can get a choice skirt steak for $3/lb that would cost you $8/lb at WF. I bet there's a carniceria closer to you than WF.
Take advantage of the non-hispanic specialists, too. Italian stores like Conte di Savoia, Bari foods, Caputo foods in Elmwood Park, Masi's and D'amato's offer better and cheaper deli items, breads, and olive oils. Cheese stores like The Cheese Stands Alone and Pastoral offer higher quality stuff and more knowledgable staff at about the same price as WF.
Go to Binny's or Sam's for wine, beer, and other alcohol. Cheaper and much better selection.
If you don't want to go to a carniceria because you're afraid of the language barrier or something else, go to Paulina or Gepperth's or any other independent full service butcher. Form a relationship with them. You can also generally buy from the randolph st wholesalers, and you can get great lamb and goat especially at the middle eastern markets in Albany Park. Try City Noor, for example.
Go to Dirk's for fish. Don't futz around with anyone else. If you like fish, go to Dirk's. Pay the premium. It's worth it. Fish is one of those things where the premium is almost always worth it.
Go to the spice house for spices.
You don't have to do all of these in the weekly shopping trip.
Go to the spice house once every three months and stock up, same with staples online, or at the smaller markets like conte di savoia, etc.
If you're going to be buying fish or meat you should generally buy it the same day or the day before you use it, so it'll be a last minute trip whether it's WF or Dirk's/Paulina/carniceria.
Cheeses tend to keep for a while if you store them properly, especially hard cheeses like parmigiano reggiano or most pecorinos.
If you doubt the shittiness of WF's produce, do the following taste test:
Go to Jewel and buy a carton of their strawberries.
Go to WF and buy a carton of their strawberries (driscoll's organic, probably).
Go to the Nichols farm stand you can find at a ton of farmers markets and buy a few varieties of their strawberries.
The jewel and wf strawberries are pretty much identical. They're big, water-logged, and almost devoid of flavor. But when you pop one of the little nichols strawberries in your mouth they explode. They're juicy but not watery and they're absurdly flavorful. And you actually get to choose which variety tastes best.
So why would you ever waste money on those miserable WF strawberries again?
Chicago has a wealth of independent specialty stores. You'll get better deals and better stuff than whole foods, and you'll be supporting local businesses. Your only excuse is that you're too lazy?
If you want to buy beef or fish at WFM, forget it unless you are pulling in $50,000 plus a year. In the 'burbs, you see a lot of rich people there I think shopping mostly for the reason that they want Tyler and Cassidy to make varsity and live to be 1,000 years old.
Anyway, I have a friend that works at WFM and a lot of the same produce from there ends up at my favorite store, Valli Produce, too and I am sure others because it all comes from the city's wholesaler/Chicago produce market.
I'd shop there if I could hack it. One other thing to note, the Real World and WFM have some kind of cross-marketing deal going, all those young cuties are gorging on 365 (TM) products when they come back from getting their drink on...
I don't think not wanting to drive all over tarnation during the weekend can necessarily be construed as "laziness" but whatever.
At any rate, I'm not even sure why I'm arguing about this anyway: my wife, being a vegetarian and a great cook, does all the grocery shopping and is as persnickity about it as Mr. Fisher. I can count on one hand the number of times I've gone grocery shopping in the last three years. If it were my household duty, we'd be eating a lot worse: pray tell, where can I find an independent local grocer who stocks some absurdly flavorful generic boxed mac-and-cheese?
Have to agree with Joel there about the laziness comment.
It's cool if Ed wants to drive around finding strawberries that burst in his mouth (nothing wrong with being a foodie), but I'd imagine the residents in the area would like to have more job opportunities in what is otherwise an abandoned lot. It's not displacing anyone, or directly competing with any solid, independent community base. So what's the problem with that?
I tried to make the point that it doesn't really take a huge amount of time or effort to hit up 4 places instead of 1, since they're generally small and you're in and out in a few minutes. But I guess I failed.
And I think it's a perfectly fine place for a whole foods. My primary point is that, as a grocery store, whole foods sucks.
Oh, and so does boxed mac and cheese. It really isn't that hard to make it from scratch, folks. Invest in a cooks illustrated cookbook or two.
Yeah, uh, it was a joke.
yes, I guess I am lazy because I'm not going to bicycle 15 miles, or take a two hour trip each way thanks to that pathetic excuse for public transportation we've got (thanks Kruesi) for some stinking strawberries, nor do I feel I should have to.
Can't stand WF. They wronged a friend of mine. Long story, not relevant. Just setting the stage.
I live on the West Side (Kostner/Jackson) and we got NOTHIN', folks, in the way of grocery stores. There's a Jewel at Homan and Roosevelt...and not a good one, either. That's the closest store. (And people wonder why African-Americans have higher rates of obesity/diabetes/heart disease--faced with the choice of walking blocks and blocks to schlep home your family's groceries from the bus, or buying a couple of Happy Meals at the McDonalds two blocks up, which would you do? (Really?) But again--not my point, although an adjunct point would be: The West Side really needs some good grocery stores.)
Fortunately--and here comes my point--there's Food-4-Less over on Cicero/26th. I love their produce, and they have one of the best selections of Hispanic foods I've seen outside Pilsen. Their meat is cheap and pretty good--as good as Jewel/Dominicks/whatever. No stupid "preferred" cards, either. I don't know how many F4Ls there are in the city, but the trip is worth it if you have a car. (And if you don't have a car, you'd better have one hell of a big bicycle-basket to carry everything home with.)
I'm late, but I need to add my two cents. I'm with Ed. Somebody should give him a food blog.
Whole Foods isn't going to displace any carnecias, it's not going to undercut and thereby shutdown any other markets, nor is it going to be a "hand over your paycheck" or starve either/or option. People who can afford to eat there will eat there, people who can't are eating somewhere else already.
Ed's right, a supermarket strawberry is still a supermarket strawberry, but at least having a few choices (WF is pretty much responsible for Jewel/Dominick's having organic stuff on the shelves) is teaching us we don't need to eat crap.
What does worry me is that many good independent (read greasy spoon) lunch places have disappeared because people choose stuff like WF lunch counters, Subways and other homogenous food, and then complain about the disappearance of diversity and choice.
As soon as other stores, independent or not, start making farmers adhere to strict animal welfare laws and fishery depletion practices I will consider shopping elswhere, but for now, Whole Foods is one of the only voices the animals have.
I agree with a lot of the sentiments above. Myself? I won't lie, I do shop at Whole Foods as well because I like the quality and the variety of choice, but lately I have been trying to look for alternatives such as local produce, etc that is close by, or just attempt to buy food that doesn't travel so far to market.
I would suggest that everyone read:
Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket
Brian Halweil
November 2004
ISBN: 0-393-32664-0
237 pages.
In Eat Here, author Brian Halweil points to a surging local food movement that is rediscovering homegrown pleasures and changing the way we eat.
With Eat Here, you can:
Discover why eating local food is one of the most significant choices you can make for the planet and for yourself.
Find out why food shipped over long-distances can be dangerous.
Get practical advice on finding homegrown pleasures amid the same old standard choices.
Learn why local food is better for your health, small farmers, and the environment.
you can get it at: http://www.worldwatch.org/pubs/books/17/
It's "bougie" not "boojie".
Damn ya'll are soooo not hood.
I didn't know that sustainable included buying "organic" produce from megafarms in chile, or other exotic locations, where natural resources are diverted for the benefit of pampered americans. also, wf does not pay 100% of insurance. "team members" (ownership rhetoric to make ind.'s work harder for the man) are required to pay outrageous premiums, anywhere from 1200-1600, and must pay to add aditional family members, (domestic partners excluded of course), to their insurance. this additional fee runs anywhere from $50 -$250 a month. in addition to this, insurance excludes dental and eyevision plans. pretty much you get shitty insurance for a lot of money. just another example of "feelgood" rhetoric that wf's uses to make ind.'s feel good about destroying local, independent stores who actually care about their communities. john mackey has tapped into a large part of america's market. let people buy their identities.
whole foods employee
Now it's December 2006, and I'm in southern California, and from where I sit, Whole-Mart has sunk to the depths. I have enjoyed shopping there as recently as a year ago, trusting their high prices and name meant a commitment to quality. But since that time, I have noticed the labels of foods containing ingredients most health-conscious folks try to avoid, such as cane sugar - evaporated or otherwise! I realized I could no longer trust that Whole Foods was as conscious as...well, as I'd once imagined! Now the store in my neighborhood, which I was glad to see when it opened over a year ago, has really gone downhill. They no longer ask if you want paper or plastic bags - Whole Foods' policy is to give plastic now. They claim it's better for the environment, while acknowledging that the plastic bags aren't recyclable. They don't even pretend! And the once- great and friendly service just isn't there anymore. People seem to be poorly trained, and are possibly not being paid as well as WF employees once were. Maybe they are keeping them part-time so that they don't have to pay benefits - I don't know! I'm writing this because I had a bad experience there earlier this evening, and one before the Xmas holiday, too. I did a search for "What happened to Whole Foods?" and found this blog. Thanks for posting, and welcoming posts, on this topic.
I just wanted to defend WF on a few things, because I do understand why you might not like it but there are a lot of misconceptions/misunderstandinds.
First, with the produce, the reason a lot of it is expensive is not just because of the quality, but actually because of the actual practices in terms of handlind the produce in the store. It is only store in the country that is certified organic. That means that the produce you buy that is USDA organic will never touch anything, not another piece of produce, not a box, not ANYTHING that has ever touched a conventionally grown product. Stores like Jewel or Dominicks will sell organic produce, but it is pointless to buy it when its been basically "contaminated" because it is mixed in with everything else. If you care that much about eating organic, its worth the money to buy your produce at WF where you KNOW it is clean.
I do agree though that a lot of the rest of the produce is just about average, but they sell non-organic produce too at decent prices, and from my experience its usually better than Jewel's, which at some locations is just bad. And you can usually get a lot of unusual items there that you cant get at Jewel.
Another thing is that if you buy all 365, the store brand, the prices are actually very comparable to Jewel, if not cheaper, and definately cheaper than Treasure Island or Trader Joe's.
Lastly, anyone who says they don't pay more or that the benefits arent good... are simply misinformed. There is no contest that they pay better to start than any other store and offer more opportunities for raises and promotions than the others. And after 800 hours of work, which at full time is only 5 months, they DO pay 100% if your health insurance, including an extra amount each year on a debit card that you can use for medical expenses, for free.
If you don't like corporations, then don't shop there, but thats about the only reason to really complain... because as far as corporations go they are without a doubt one of the most responsible and good to their workers.
Oh, and I guess the bottom line that most people forget is that it is a natural food store, not a gourmet food store. Not one thing in the entire store has anything artificial in it, and you just cant get that anywhere else.
Coming obviously late to the thread. Here's my perspective, from one who currently works for WF, though not for long as the hypocrisy between what WF purports itself to be about and what it does in practice is glaring.
Its public proclamations notwithstanding, and most recently exemplified by the CEO's infamous "we will bury you" to Wild Onion (he did. Wild Onion has now merged under WF's umbrella), the only thing WF has cared about is chewing up market share and reaping in mammoth profits, to the cost of all else. From what it pays its people, to what it exacts from producers, to what it charges the wealthy under the hype of "sustainable practices" the bottom and, from at least one management "member's" perspective, only line, is profit. WF is using its market power to buy huge lots of product across the board, gaining considerable quantity savings, yet one consistently finds the same products at WF selling easily for 20% more, or worse. The corporate line is that "we" want to rid "ourselves" (the travesty of "team" buzzwords is laughably ridiculous) of the "Whole Paycheck" moniker, but the name is richly deserved. So you have people shopping there assuaging their conscience pretending to be doing good. It's all for show.
Nightly, I would say I see 6 pallets or more of perfectly good food dumped in the trash, for no other reason than it is past date code or is otherwise not "sellable" by what regional management sets in place. I am talking food without a single mar, sign of spoilage, or blemish (forget that the food is bought in such big lots that the quality is all in "sight" and nothing in the intrinsic quality of the food). I cringe to think of the numbers of families that could be fed were it not for WF's wanton waste. In this respect, WF is the exemplar, not the beacon against, business as usual: the throw away culture that is choking our planet.
WF's worker treatment is lousy. Beyond crappy starting wages, what you see up front belies a dangerous backstock area - essentially, none, relative to the footprint of the store itself - that makes no provision for worker safety.
I can't say more, for reasons I cannot disclose. Take it for what you will.
Whole Foods is wreaking local farmers markets!!!!! I live in Virginia and am a producer that sells in three farmers markets in the Washington DC area. I have made a great living in the three markets until this year. Recently Whole Foods has started competing markets in their parking lots thus taking market share from me, they also hired a woman named Jean Janson to run the markets and she actually charges a commission for the farmers there! Last week I was told that she was starting a new market the day before my best market, so that will take market share from me and I need to make a choice to either go into more markets and neglect my farm or try to hope that my regular customers will support. In a time of gas prices at almost $4 I cannot afford to drive to more then three markets a week but in order to survive I must find a way. From what I understand the farmers at the Whole Foods markets pay no taxes (it is only 2.5% in VA); this is totally unfair and I cannot see how a supermarket can decide to wreak my business.