Whole Foods Market press release: Asheville store will open in 2014

Here’s the release from Whole Foods about their planned Asheville store:

Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) announces it will open a second store in the current Kmart shopping center on Tunnel Road in Asheville. The newest store in North Carolina for the natural and organic foods supermarket will occupy approximately 35,000 square feet of retail space in the existing Kmart location. Construction will begin sometime next summer, and the new store is slated to open in 2014.

Whole Foods Market’s presence in the Asheville area includes Greenlife Grocery on Merrimon Avenue, but this will be the first store under the Whole Foods Market brand. This is the 11th store in North Carolina.

“We’ve been looking for the right location in Asheville for quite some time,” said Mike Howard, Whole Foods Market South region vice president. “Asheville is a great city with a lot of interest in natural and organic food, so we are excited to be adding to our roster of stores in the area and to be bringing a new store to the market.”

“EDENS is thrilled to partner with Whole Foods Market to create a fun, upbeat community gathering place for Asheville,” said Lyle Darnall, EDENS Managing Director. “Our vision for this center re-uses some of the existing buildings. We want to create a sense of warmth and familiarity at the center that naturally fosters meaningful interaction among neighbors. Changes in the future, like welcoming Whole Foods, will reflect the values of the Asheville community: local and unique.”

Whole Foods Market features a fresh and enticing selection of natural foods in their purest state, free of artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and preservatives as well as hydrogenated fats. Whole Foods Market offers shoppers the highest quality, best-tasting and freshest foods in an inviting setting. Each store is unique and is designed to meet the needs of the neighborhoods where we live and work. Combine the great-tasting food with outstanding customer service and the result is a pleasantly atypical grocery shopping experience.