In advance of the opening today of Whole Foods Market in Savannah, hundreds of area residents took guided previews of the new store.
On my Saturday afternoon tour with other curious community members, I was struck by the largeness of Savannah’s newest grocery.
And I was struck yet again by the sheer enthusiasm likely shoppers have been exhibiting since we first heard about Whole Foods Market’s plans in early 2012.
The Whole Foods in Lexington, Ky., where I shopped over the holidays, has more than 4,100 “likes” on Facebook. The Mount Pleasant store in the Charleston metro area has more than 3,100.
As of Monday, Savannah’s Whole Foods already had more than 8,800 fans. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that number top 10,000 by the end of the week. You can bet some other chains — like Trader Joe’s — will perk up their ears at those numbers.
And I was struck yet again by the corporate effort to stock products by local vendors. I haven’t yet seen a full list, but the familiar names include Byrd Cookie Company, Chocolat by Adam Turoni, Savannah Bee Company, Nourish, PERC Coffee Roasters and Ambos Seafoods.
A cynic might see the stocking of those items as a calculated PR move — and it is a calculated PR move. But it’s also a business model that engages and supports independent retailers and locally owned businesses.
There’s another element to Whole Foods Market’s arrival that I should have anticipated.
The various team leaders and many employees have transferred from all over the nation. These new area residents have diverse backgrounds, and they’ve moved into neighborhoods throughout the county.
But, based on casual conversations with a number of them, it’s safe to say that they share some common traits. They’re youngish, energetic, ambitious and interested broadly in issues related to sustainability.
Now, all that said, it’s also worth keeping in mind that Whole Foods is still a major, profit-driven corporation that attracts some controversy.
Beyond the predictable complaints about the cost of shopping at Whole Foods, I suspect one of the main criticisms of our local store will have to do with the relatively short hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This town has a lot of folks with odd hours who need a grocery store open later than that.
And there will be criticisms that the company’s focus on sustainability isn’t rigorous enough.
For example, Whole Foods Market’s evolving policy on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) ensures labeling transparency of all products by 2018, but that policy isn’t enough for many.
Still, the arrival of Whole Foods Market in Savannah is a pretty darn big deal for a host of reasons that City Talk will explore in the future.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.
