Whole Foods question

Tell me your thoughts: If you are a Whole Foods regular, will rising gas prices and a slower economy change your shopping habits? Do you travel far to visit WF?

If you are not a WF customer, why not?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Robin Garr]

Tell me your thoughts: If you are a Whole Foods regular, will rising gas prices and a slower economy change your shopping habits? Do you travel far to visit WF?

If you are not a WF customer, why not?

I'm in-between. I go occasionally, but not nearly as often as before. I was excited about it when it started, but kind of lost interest after a while. I'm not sure of the reasons, but I think there are several. They've become a little less competitive, don't seem to try quite as hard, and now you can get just about anything that Whole Food carries at local competitors, Doll's, Lotsa Pasta, Burgers, Seafood Connection and Highland Fish. Plus, all the publicity surrounding the Wild Oats takeover, and reports of the CEO's virulent anti-union attitudes, also took some of the edge off the place for me. I don't boycott, but we used to be by at least one a week, and now it's probably less than once a month.

Thanks for weighing in, Robin -

Todd

[Robin Garr]

Thanks for weighing in, Robin -

Todd

I'm sure more replies will turn up in this thread, Todd. Sunday is a quiet day.

Thanks for letting me do a little research here. Perhaps I should have asked first, though!

I love shopping at Whole Foods...I shop or rather treat myself there about twice a month...The last time I was there some of the refridgeration units were out of order...So I didn't get a couple of my favorite items...The Yellowfin Tuna Salad and the Spinach/Cheese/Garlic Calzone ..But they did have my Turkey Chili with White Beans ...

Thanks, Ray - sounds like your WF shopping habits haven't changed, right?

[Robin Garr]

Perhaps I should have asked first, though!

Absolutely no need ...

Thanks much, sir.

We're in the Highlands. I used to go every other week or so. Now it's more like once a month or longer.

It does have to do with gas for me. I'm making a conscious effort to walk everywhere I can. I consolidate my errands and plot out my route when I need to run errands that require my car.

I drop by WF 2 or 3 times a week- but it directly on the way to work so it is no big deal. I try to go Wed PMs now that they have a small farmer's market.
If your question is about gas, I can tell you that I don't get to Creation Gardens as much as I used to because it is a trip to a part of town I'm rarely in.

I'm a big WF fans and shop there whenever I'm close (I live in Crestwood) so maybe 2-3 times a month. I even went so far as to write WF and send them demographics on Crestwood, Oldham Co. and LaGrange hoping they would build out this way. I also love Fresh Market but for different reasons. Because it's closer to me I'm actually there a bit more often. When I lived in St Matts I was at WF at least once a week and almost every Sunday.

Thanks much, Tina, Gary and Carla -

We shop there a couple times a month. We mainly go for the cheese selection and friendly cheese staff. We also like the salad bar on occasion for lunch. Have run into a little attitude by the folks in the produce section if I get a non organic item instead of the organic version. The main reason we dont go more often is distance from home and its a little high priced for our budget.
Not saying its a bad thing, but sometimes the floor staff looks like they just came in from a Dead concert.

I fall into the "not a WF customer" category. I've been in the store twice ... both times I concluded that their prices were too expensive for my blood. I can get healthy, nutritious food at other places in Louisville for a lot less $$$$. YMMV