Whole Foods opening date for Oakland?

[doxxie lover]

Does anyone know when the new Whole Foods is opening in Oakland on Harrison and 27TH? It looks like any day now....

[Agent 510]

In addition to singleguychef's shots, here's one "aerial" shot I took of the gi-normous Oakland Whole Foods interior.

[Mission]

I went to check it out today.

I looked all over for the bulk food section.

There is none.

That is the only section at the Berkeley store that is not a rip off.

I will not be back.

Stopped at Grocery Outlet around the corner and up the street and bought a bunch of cheap Wine and other assorted taste treats.

[chompy]

Yeah, I also noticed that there's no bulk section. I did see a sign on the shelf on the far wall - near the nuts - that said the bulk section is "coming soon" or some such thing. I asked the checker about it and she said that it's not going to be very big. I was kind of bummed about it too.

I'll probably go there occasionally, but it seems like it's mostly about the prepared food. Which made me wonder, does anyone cook anymore?

[Ruth Lafler]

Probably not many cooks in that neighborhood -- it's mostly apartments, which means working single people and couples or retirees (that huge senior living facility in the next block).

That said, I just realized I'm living through a grocery store Renaissance. In the last five years within five miles of my house (in order of proximity): the Alameda Marketplace, a brand new Nob Hill, a huge new Safeway that replaced a dismal old one, the Mi Pueblo Food Center, the new Dimond district Farmer Joe's, and now Whole Foods (not to mention several new farmers markets). And this is in an already fully-developed urban area, not some new community where they're starting from scratch. It's definitely a change in the way groceries are being marketed/sold.

[Agent 510]

It's open. And it's spectacular.

The store is pretty different from your typical WF...it's in a warehouse-like building, and it's designed in this unusual "market hall" style layout, where you basically progress through the store in a big loop. The regular grocery aisles take up just a small fraction of the store, in the back corner. The other stuff (bakery, produce, wine, cheese, prepared foods) takes up much more space. Not the place to run in and out for a couple items, but for the whole over-the-top WF experience, this is it.

Just be warned that getting in and out by car is a bit tight. There did seem to be enough parking, though, and the space is big enough to absorb the larger-than-usual crowd.

[JasmineG]

Thanks for the report! Is the parking lot easy to get in and out of?

[Agent 510]

It's not easy. The entrance is on a hilly little side street that isn't meant to handle lots of traffic. Be careful, y'all!

[singleguychef]

The store is huge and so many interesting things that you don't normally find at other Whole Foods. I don't have to worry about the parking since I work nearby, and I like how there's a lot of places to eat in. Here are photos if you want to get a look at some of the interiors: http://singleguychef.blogspot.com/200...

[Debbie M]

Nice pictures.

I didn't go to the grand opening (I knew I'd buy expensive food I didn't yet need!), but I did drive by to check it out. It was amazing to see that corner, which has been a blight on the neighborhood for years, look as lively as it did. What a difference. I'm looking forward to actually going in and checking it out.

[singleguychef]

Another update, I just received a mailer at home announcing the 26th opening date. So looks like it's pretty firm. Also, on that opening day they'll be having several activities in store during the day, and then they have a promotion where they're going to give a free Whole Foods canvas tote bag (they're green colored) to the first 5,000 customers spending more than $25 each.

[HungryGrayCat]

Two apples and a loaf of bread will get you that tote bag!

[mrfroopy]

two apples and a loaf of bread will cost you more than the yearly food budget of a sudanese family

[Debbie M]

They don't call it Whole Paycheck for nothing.

[JoyM]

especially considering those green totebags sell for all of $1

[singleguychef]

San Francisco Chronicle had an article about the new Whole Foods lifestyle store at Potrero Hill. In that same article, it said the Oakland location is slated to open on Wednesday, Sept. 26. I have my calendar marked because I've been waiting for so long! That location is close to my work so I'm excited to have an after work place to shop for fine ingredients before heading home.

[doxxie lover]

Great! Thanks much for the update.Very excited about it, although traffic may be brutal.

[Debbie M]

The Whole Foods website still says the opening date will be announced, but when I drove by last week, it really looked like it was coming along (after seeming to take forever), so I believe the 26th date.

I live about a 5 min. walk away, so I'm not too worried about the traffic, but the in-store traffic will probably be no less brutal.

[Atomica]

It definitely is imminent--I thought it had opened last weekend, but I guess not, considering your post.