Let’s Talk About Whole Foods
For more than a year the message from both Chesapeake, developer of Classen Curve, and Whole Foods has been the same – there is no news to share yet about a potential deal for the upscale grocer to open its first Oklahoma City store.
And yet the talk continues unabated. Two different local television news stations have reported a deal was imminent, only to be followed by more silence by both companies.
Visit the Whole Foods store in Tulsa and cashiers there report their regional manager has told them an Oklahoma City store is set to open within two years.
Speculation on a store grew even more when Chesapeake bought and razed the former Hahn-Cook, Street & Draper funeral home northeast of Classen Curve, leaving a large empty lot waiting to be developed. I’ve heard from several reputable sources the retailer has signed a letter of intent to open an Oklahoma City store within 18 months – a development neither confirmed or denied by Aubrey McClendon, chief executive officer of Chesapeake Energy.
“We too have heard rumors about Whole Foods coming to Oklahoma City and we hope they are true,” McClendon said when asked if negotiations have taken place. “It is testament to where our city has come in the past decade to be mentioned in the same sentence with Whole Foods.”
And so the discussion continues as Chesapeake Energy, which has previously shied away from publicity for Classen Curve, is now cranking it up to full speed. This push has resulted in a package appearing in the Sunday Oklahoman, and more coverage Wednesday by Oklahoman Food Editor Dave Cathey.
Participants on both local message boards and a forum hosted by Whole Foods are pleading with the retailer to open an Oklahoma City store. A Facebook page created by Duncan resident Paula Morrison to petition Whole Foods for an Oklahoma City store has 8,317 followers. She pledges to bring the petition to Whole Foods’ corporate office in Austin, Texas, when the petition hits 10,000.
“Um, Tulsa has a Whole Foods Market and OKC doesn’t,” Morrison explains on the Facebook page. “I’m not sure why, since we’re bigger than Tulsa, but whatever. We deserve a ridiculous produce selection, organic beauty products and the best salad bar ever.”
Since starting the page, Morrison has moved to Duncan. But her pledge remains intact – though she admits she would now prefer to see the store in Norman to shorten the drive. Morrison discovered Whole Foods during a trip to New York City.
“I stumbled upon a Whole Foods on Columbus Circle in New York City,” Morrison said. “I had heard so much about it, I anted to check it out … and they had all this great, ready-made food, and if you don’t want to cook, you can get something healthy and not have to go through the drive-thru at Taco Bell. I felt healthy just being there.”
Two of the Classen Curve’s newest tenants, Bob Benham, whose legendary Balliet’s will open in September, and Keith Paul, who is opening Republic Gastropub this weekend, both say a Whole Foods would be a boon to the area.
“I expect it would be quite a magnet if it happens,” Benham said.
“I’d love to see it happen,” Paul said. “Not just a Whole Foods, but any grocery of that caliber going into this area would be a positive for everyone. It (talk of a Whole Foods opening across from Classen Curve) had nothing to do without decision to do Republic, but if it happens, it would make feel even better about everything. There’s a lot of talk on all this, but that’s all I hear.”
Whole Foods started in 1980 with one store in Austin, Texas and has grown to 270 stores in North America and the United Kingdom.
Whole Foods has only one Oklahoma store – a location acquired through the company’s purchase of rival Wild Oats. The Whole Foods website lists the following criteria for considering a new location:
- 200,000 people or more living within a 20-minute drive time.
- A store between 40,000 and 75,000 square feet.
- Large number of college-educated residents.
- Abundant parking.
- Stand-alone site preferred.
- Easy access from roadway, lighted intersection.
- Excellent visibility, directly off of the street.
- Must be located in a high traffic area.
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Comments
Let’s not….talk about whole foods.
As much as I’d like to have one here, it’s turned into somewhat of an obsession with the community. If one comes, cool…we can all crap our pants and buy fresh organic products. If not, I’m not losing any sleep. There are dozens of specialty shops in OKC I get my foodie fix from. I’d rather keep it local anyway.
Whole Paycheck.
I moved away nearly two decades ago. Are the Earth and Dodson’s still around? It’s hard to imagine that there aren’t local alternatives to the awful Whole Foods.
I know this post is about Whole Foods, but just wanted to share a link to this grocery in St. Louis. It appears to be locally owned. The extra activities such as rum tastings, movie rentals, charity wine tastings, etc, shows the store’s role in the downtown neighborhood goes above and beyond traditional needs. Hope to see something like this downtown someday:
Will be interesting, but not for me. On a good day I would be 30 minutes or so out, and that exceeds my interest for grocery travel.
I would welcome a whole foods. Last week I had to go to two different grocery stores just to find decent onions and green peppers. Absolutely ridiculous when you consider the size of our city.
I would like to point out that Forward Foods of Norman is opening their second location up the street from Classen Curve.
They are an impressive specialty food and cheese shop. The owners said despite the Whole Foods rumors they were plowing ahead in hopes of developing a loyal OKC base quickly.
I travel to Norman just to get their pastas and cheese.
They are moving into the old Coco Flow building on Western accross from Bishop McGuiness. The trim in the building and exterior trellace was just painted a bright blue color.
My hats off to them for “going for it” inspite of the rumors. May community support abound them.
I see a trend on this board. It seems hype for a Whole Foods has remained at a high, but people are becoming aware of it’s national presence versus a more suitable local store that our city could support and nurture.
I too would love a Whole Foods, but a local presence that could rival one is even better.
You bring an interesting point about the local shops. I’m torn. I frequently support Forward Foods (I do schlep all the way down to Norman for that), La Baguette, Crescent Market, Avalon Seafood, Med Deli, etc…but…it takes me an entire day to do food shopping! My time these days is valuable, I work late hours, etc…I would love it for a WF to come in so I can get all these quality goods at one location (and in a city this size, there should be a place like that).
However, I’m concerned about how the other stores will do in the face of WF. If only they could organize and be under one roof! I don’t see that happening, so I’m sorry to say, I think WF will be good for the city and I hope they come in soon. But you’re right, if the local stores can keep up their following, they might be able to hang in there. Maybe they can co-exist!
A friend in Austin this weekend Tweeted from Whole Foods saying it was nothing short of incredible. I would hope we could support both WF as well as creative local retailers who get into this same space. As the movement of organic and healthy occurs in Oklahoma (albeit, slowly) a WF will help us become a healthier community. I hope the rumors are true.
OK, my nephew-in-law has a friend that works for the city of OKC, and he said that Whole Foods has begun the city permiting process. Take it or leave it. Just thought I would throw some fire on all the rumors out there.
Whole Foods is great and all — there’s one a block from my house in Dallas — but why no interest in luring a Central Market? It would be a great fit for Oklahoma.
Ryan, it’s plain and simple, there is INTEREST in Central Market, we’ve even courted them, however Central Market has said plenty of times they are not interested in locating outside of Texas. Whole Foods obviously does have stores in many states. No brainer really.
This is the problem with OKC. It’s always about waiting for something to come to town that will make us feel like we are not losers. Bass Pro Shop, an NHL or NBA team, Whole Foods, etc.
Here’s an idea, why doesn’t someone from OKC just open up a grocery store that sells good produce, prepared dinners, and gourmet products? That’s actually how chains like Whole Foods and Central Market got started. If Chesapeake wants a high-end grocery store so bad, why don’t they just provide the funds for Crescent Market to expand and relocate to the Classen Curve area?
James I agree with your comment, and I do think some local grocery stores are aiming to add more high-end products. I recently went to the Buy For Less at I44 and Expressway and was surprised to see the types of food carried and prepared (Fresh Sushi, humus, and other non-typical items). While it certainly is no Whole Foods i think grocers are moving more in that direction. I think the reason that Chesapeake is courting WF so badly is partly to do with ego. Classen Curve is pretty impressive in its early stages and it would only enhance McClendons legacy to land WF to the area. And lets face it, WF has name recognition and branding that greatly exceeds something like Crescent Market etc. When my wife and I visit dallas or kansas city, I’m sure their are high-end organic markets, but we always visit WF simply because we’re more aware of it. When OKC lands a WF, it will do help our image and attract younger talent to move/stay in the area.
James, the reason Whole Foods works is it has the distribution systems in place that insures each store get fresh organic produce. You can’t just go out and find organic farmers in this state that would be a to keep a local store like that stocked.
Have you been to Crescent lately?
If you had, you probably wouldn’t be saying that.
I just wanted to comment on how depressing it is that a city of this size even has to have this kind of discussion and subsequent controversies over a grocery store. There is a reason why Whole Foods and others don’t want to be here…maybe it’s time someone just call their corporate offices and ask them for the honest answer.
James, the answer is a simple one. In Oklahoma City, there is more square footage of walmart per capita than any place in the entire world. Think about that for a second.
Grocery stores have been closing left and right in the city for 15 yrs. To be replaced by walmart neighborhood markets and supercenters.
Apparently this is what it takes to get a decent grocery store in this city. It’s too bad that you find it depressing. I, on the other hand, think it’s great that citizens can talk and wish for something and then the chatter gets so loud you can’t ignore it anymore.
I think this is a huge win for Oklahoma City.
Slim – don’t get me wrong I think it is great that there is citizen dialog (even though it is always the same few citizens weighing in), however, this is not “what it takes to get a decent grocery store in this city.” Changing our wine/liquor laws will be the first step…until that happens we will just merely be talking about Whole Foods, not shopping there. By the way;
As of January 2010, Walmart’s presence in Texas includes:
Supercenters: 298
Discount Stores: 40
Neighborhood Markets: 32
Sam’s Clubs: 72
Distribution Centers: 16
AND
As of January 2010, Walmart’s presence in Oklahoma includes:
Supercenters: 75
Discount Stores: 11
Neighborhood Markets: 17
Sam’s Clubs: 8
Distribution Centers: 2
James, your quoting the same lame arguments that have been rehashed. The fact is there are stores in Colorado, Texas (Dallas has dry counties), New York City, Philadelphia, Tulsa and other places that do not sell wine in their grocery stores, including WF. WE DON’T BUY THE LIQUOR EXCUSE, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD HELP.
James here is the information for Wal-Mart Supercenter (only). I could not find the rest of the information for Sams, Neighborhood markets, discount stores, etc. If I come across it I will happily post is.
# 1 Arkansas: 22.309 per 1 million people
# 2 Mississippi: 18.486 per 1 million people
# 3 Alabama: 16.675 per 1 million people
# 4 Wyoming: 15.708 per 1 million people
# 5 Oklahoma: 15.22 per 1 million people
# 6 West Virginia: 14.861 per 1 million people
# 7 New Mexico: 14.52 per 1 million people
# 8 Tennessee: 14.422 per 1 million people
# 9 Kentucky: 14.377 per 1 million people
# 10 Kansas: 14.209 per 1 million people
# 11 Louisiana: 13.706 per 1 million people
# 12 Missouri: 13.62 per 1 million people
# 13 Iowa: 13.148 per 1 million people
# 14 Nebraska: 13.077 per 1 million people
# 15 South Dakota: 12.888 per 1 million people
# 16 South Carolina: 11.751 per 1 million people
# 17 Georgia: 11.463 per 1 million people
# 18 Texas: 11.33 per 1 million people
Interesting to say the least
interesting how louisiana is further down the list. i stopped at a non-descript grocery store in lafayette about 4 years ago, and was blown away when the pork section ALONE was bigger than the entire meat department at my local grocery store. i brought home about $200 worth of various goodies (coffee, boudin, tasso, wine, real grits, etc.). ahh, louisiana…
i find it astounding that you can’t walk into a grocery store ANYWHERE in this state and buy a fresh local tomato. oklahoma DOES produce tasty food locally, we just can’t seem to market anything besides barbecue sauce and salsa.
This has been a very interesting thread! I work close to Classen Curve so a WF would be a great lunch time destination. I agree that its really a sad commentary on our city that there are no local markets anymore. There is, however, several farmers markets that offer good produce in the summer and there is a wonderful alternative in the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. Talk about supporting yoru local farmer! Local grocery stores may not be interested in buying from local farmers so what can you do? Buy from the directly through the Co-op. It only costs $51 to join. The online order cycle opens the 1st each month and you pickup your order the 3rd Thursday at your local pickup site. There are pickup sites all over the state! This is an amazing all volunteer organization with the goal to see locally grown food on every table in Oklahoma. Check it out at http://www.oklahomafood.coop. You won’t regret it, I promise.
Guys its coming I can promise you that. I’ve heard rumors of possibly being done in Nov. I have inside info and the deal is signed…trust me on this on..Look for it towards the end of the year..
Both the funeral home and the Reserve National Building have been leveled. That should be plenty of space for Whole Foods and the parking. High traffic? The count on Classen is growing, and Western is as busy as usual, with I-4, NW 63rd, and NW Expressway nearby.
This protracted deal, and the related discusion, fuels the fires of Whole Foods hype, and everyone is getting pulled into it.
Capcha – spare davy