Here’s what I got:
avlstreetstyle:RT @andrewjfletcher: Aville 2 get Whole Foods; according to an upper Executive’s Uncle who is a friend of mine. Is this old news? #mxnow
That’s all I got. True? False? Anybody?
Here’s what I got:
avlstreetstyle:RT @andrewjfletcher: Aville 2 get Whole Foods; according to an upper Executive’s Uncle who is a friend of mine. Is this old news? #mxnow
That’s all I got. True? False? Anybody?
21 Comments
Having lived in Chicago for many years and shopped mainly at TJ’s and WFM, I’m glad to shop at Greenlife and EarthFare. Throw in a weekly farmer’s market trip for produce and an occasional Amazing Savings trip to stock up on canned beans and soy sauce type stuff and you’re good to go for a pretty cheap. Now Greenlife and EarhtFare have some expensive stuff for sure, you have to be selective. I see an $8 jar of pasta sauce and it makes me want to vote for Sarah Palin.
If WFM brings down prices at Earthfare I’m all for them coming to town.
365 is a good value, but produce is ridiculous at WFM. Fish and meat are $$$ and the quality is below Greenlife.
Tj’s just isn’t that impressive of a place. Nuts and baking stuff is cheap, other than eh. There is little excuse for buying two buck chuck. Unless you’re drinking like 4 bottles a week, you can get good wines for $6-$8 many places. There’s to much good beer here to drink that much wine anyway. Banrock Station is like $5 just about anywhere. If you’re into buying frozen food from tj’s, bummer for you.
I understand people’s have a food budget and maybe don’t have time to go to different stores. What I really want here is a Harris Teeter, they blow Ingles out of the water.
Guys…again….whole foods is coming. fall of 2010. it’s on the map. i could name sources but would be giving away too much. i helped open many stores. i know that this one is coming.
BTW…earth fare is an inferior copycat of whole foods. not many folks know that earth fare’s exec is the former exec of fresh fields, a company whole foods bought out in DC and the mid-atlantic region. there is a reason earth fare does well here…no REAL competition from a store with better prices on similar items…particularly WFM’s 365 brand…which is VERY good. earth fare can have MUCH higher margins because they don’t have whole foods undercutting them. the snobbish patronage from the earth fare and greenlife customers will only go so far and it’s much less tangible than lower prices on similar items. sure folks might like to pretend that their selection at earth fare is so wonderfully healthy, but at WFM you don’t even have to worry about buying high-fructose corn syrup. WFM’s buying standards are impeccable.
you guys might not realize it about John Mackey of WFM…but he is one competitive fellow (hello…Wild Oats anyone?)
Although the same family might own Aldi’s & TJ’s, they are wholly separate. Two brothers own the European Aldi’s and TJ’s while an "estranged" third brother owns the American version of Aldi’s. The American Aldi’s and TJ’s are not related whatesoever.
Don’t need Whole Foods in Fairview. Just lookin for my TJ’s. It’d be nice to have Publix closer than Greenville too. I love me some Pub Subs. I like Ingles for the community support they provide.. Earthfare and Greenlife: fresh mozzarella. Plenty of love to go around.
Don’t think the Whole Foods bit is true. If it is, their real estate department doesn’t know about it…
Trader Joes- not yet, but Aldi’s & Trader Joe’s are owned by the same family.
Seriously does anyone think that Whole Foods is scared of a little chain like Earth Fare? Having lived in an area before that had all of the places I would much rather have Whole Foods than anyone of the others. Whole Foods is a very good neighbor and has been very solid in supporting local growers and local conservation efforts…much better than Trader Joes. Publix is not needed in this area with Ingles stepping up their product and Harris Teeter holding a spot a the local higher end chain grocery. Whole Foods has been looknig for the right spot in Asheville for a while, and there is no way it is going to be in Fairview. Fairview lacks the signficant population to support a high end grocery or boutique grocery chain.
Honestly…TJ sucks compared to Whole Foods. Whole Foods is also far better than Greenlife and Earth Fare. Complain about how they look on the outside all you want, but the superticial issues do not take away from the fact that they carry a great selection of organic foods, employ many people with a decent wage for grocery, and are a great destination to get great food for any foodie.
I mean how many of us carnivores would like to buy dry aged beef that is dry aged on location? This alone has me giddy like a school girl.
I’d rather have PUBLIX than TJ or Whole Foods. .
I started the latest round of rumours – I’m @andrewjfletcher – and I have no other assurance than a trusted source with known ties to good information that has been right in the past. Guess that makes me a reporter?
I think there’s room for all of the premium/health food stores in town. Competition is good people! Greenlife, Earthfare, et al must be making money – more competition will only help distribute the profits down to consumers via lower prices.
Besides, how else can you show your preference for *insert your favorite store* without having a choice?
I would be interested to see how it’s all playing out in Greenville,SC. They have an Earth Fare, Garners Natural Foods (a cross between the FB Co-Op and Greenlife) and a new Whole Foods. If they can pull it off in Greenville, I have no doubt Whole Foods is studying and planning for Asheville. Having traveled across the U.S. and living on the road for 3 years as a sponsored nomadic educator, I spent a lot of time in Whole Foods and recognized the pattern of their locations. I don’t think the physical space exists but I would anticipate that it would land in Biltmore Park Town Square.
tdselect: sounds like your just a typical local that hates competition.
I shop at Earth Fare for specialty items and do the rest of my shopping at Ingles. Sign of the times. Trader Joe’s has a lot of stuff that is store brand (cheap) just like Ingles. It would be nice to have some competition in that area to help lower the prices.
As for Whole Foods. They are similar to Earth Fare but not as pleasing to the eyes. I think Earth Fare has the Asheville market. As for Henderson and Haywood, that is another story.
Here is my take on Green Life. Great place to find a date but way to costly for weekly shopping. Just a nice place to grab some snacks and while your there, meet some people. The worse customer parking of any food store in WNC.
Fresh Market: The baby boomers market place. They drive their buggies just like they drive their Buicks. Slow and down the middle of the road. Avoid if at all possible.
I heard a rumor of a Trader Joe’s coming to Biltmore Park. Anyone else hear that?
I’d love to see a Trader Joe’s. We stock up on their frozen food and cheap wine when we visit family in the Triangle. It wouldn’t replace my weekly Ingles run, but it sure would supplement it nicely.
Whole Foods is a good chain, but I think they would have a tougher time competing here because of the presense of Earth Fare, GreenLife and French Broad Co-op. Even Fresh Market would contribute to that competition. If they think they can compete, let ’em come in. Trader Joe’s is o.k. too, but they will have to compete as well. It certainly gives consumers more options, for sure.
Asheville does not really need at Whole Food Market. WIth GreenLife and EarthFare already well-established here, I doubt Whole Foods would even dare to enter this market. Trader Joes is ok, but its mostly over-rated since all they really have is a lot of frozen food. Niether chain is really unique anymore, since there are Whole Foods and Trader Joes stores in most major US cities these days.
I, too, was told the same thing that ‘veggie’ was by a worker at the Trader Joe’s in Chapel Hill. I’d much rather see Trader Joe’s than Whole Foods any day!!
Earth Fare, Green Life, now Whole Foods? Please! What this community needs is a Trader Joe’s or two – north and south. Time to stop the trend of one "food for the rich" store after another.
I want a TJ’s. It should rightfully go in Fairview, since we have no Earthfare, Greenlife or Fresh Market. It’s only fair. But I’d settle for one less than two hours away.
fall of next year. working out leasing deals for where. i worked at corporate for 3 years.
veggie, i’ve heard that Trader Joe’s rumor, too.
AM, thanks for checking!
I emailed their pr dept about it and received this response:
"We have not yet secured a site in Asheville, so I don’t have any update for you at this time. I’d be happy to let you know if and when we move forward with any stores in Asheville! Thanks for inquiring."
Haven’t heard that rumour but when I was in Chapel Hill at Trader Joe’s last spring (had to get that 2-buck Chuck’s) they said we’re getting a TJ here.