Lakewood Whole Foods decision has many up in arms

incognato, says:

I will agree with everything Mike said above about the area's shopping. The Super Wal-Mart is just painful. It's so large, yet I've never seen more than 4 lanes open, which makes lines to check out long. Spend 10 minutes in line there and about a year will be shaved off the end of your life.

I will also add that I think another big let-down about this Whole Foods news is the area was promised a flagship store, much like the one on Lamar in Austin. If you haven't seen that one, then your hopes didn't go up. If you have seen it, then you probably had hopes of something in Lakewood that rivals any of the better grocery options in North Dallas and beyond the loops--a rival that also embraced the character and charm of the East Dallas neighborhood.

I wish HEB would move into Dallas more than just Central Markets. That is the best grocery store in Texas.

On a side note, I'm going to check out that Fiesta. I went to the one on Ross (near the Whole Foods on Greenville that Mike mentioned above in the sixth bullet) and heard employees say it was straining to keep up with the demands of supplying the new shoppers that migrated from the closed Lakewood Minyards.

Another downside to the closures in the Far East area is prescriptions. When that Minyards on Fergusson closed, suddenly our pharmacist was out of basic drugs like birth control because of the huge increase in customers.

bobdon000, says:

Don't blame the community (or individuals). WF really didn't want to spend the $112/SF required to do a new store on a site that they control for less than 21 years under a ground lease which is restrictive and they may ultimately get booted from. The corporate wigs decided it made more cents to spend $35/Sf in renovation and then re-assess the situation in several years.

Don't forget the corners of Mockinbird and Abrams will be in play in the next several years for a new grocery store and WF would probably love to do a bigger store format to serve Lakewood.

And the Abrams/Gaston site is really too small by today's grocery store standards which needs to be 60,000 SF for free-standing locations.

cehmann, says:

Pavel, the big deal on this (as Mike pointed out) is the high visibility of the location. The old Minyards was adequate but local residents were/are aching for something better. This area from Lakewood down to Hollywood/Santa Monica and from the M Streets east to the lake has gentrified to a higher income/disposable income area. The plans Whole Foods presented to the neighborhood groups looked fantastic (IMHO) but didn't adhere to the Planned District restrictions put in place in 1988 that required the building to be built along Abrams with a "storefront" "main street" feel. This upset some that wanted the PD enforced (or at least a nod to it). Many others just wanted the new pretty store. Much debate followed. That's my take on it.

geopunk, says:

What the hell is wrong with Kroger just up the street at Dr. Pepper Station? Sure the seafood may kill you, for that I go to Whole Foods, but come on.....we're not allowed to mention Kroger? I love it, just dont ever go on the weekend.

cgrover, says:

I live in this particular East Dallas neighborhood being and, while we're on the subject of our grocery store deficiency, I thought I would share the reply I got after submitting a suggestion to the website of Sprouts Farmers Market (a newer, cheaper version of Whole Foods) www.sprouts.com/:

MY E-MAIL: We need you in EAST Dallas! I have just recently become aware of your fabulous store! I am excited to see that you have planned a store to be built in Richardson, TX, but I want to ask you to consider another store in the White Rock/East Dallas area. Why? People who choose to live in this area tend to be those who love an active and healthy lifestyle...that is why they gravitated to the lake in the first place. Additionally, a store in this area would be easily accessible to an extended clientele in the eastern suburbs of Garland and Mesquite via I-30 or I-80. We know of quite a few people who make a weekly 20-30 minute drive in from the suburbs to shop at the nearest Whole Foods. If you were here, I know they would be at your door. Just a suggestion!

THEIR REPLY: Thank you for your nice note! We certainly appreciate your invitation to the East Dallas area! We are looking at several locations throughout Southern California, Dallas Texas and Colorado. Although I'm not aware of a lease signed in White Rock … you never know when we may "sprout" in your neighborhood! I will certainly pass this information on to our Real Estate Department - as this is valuable feedback! Thank you so much for writing! Jeannie Rounds Customer Relations Sprouts Farmers Market 11811 N. Tatum Blvd. Suite 2400 Phoenix, AZ 85028 480-814-8016 ext. 330

ericthegardener, says:

I sometimes shop at the Sprouts at Forest & Marsh even though I live in East Dallas. I love it. They'd be great in East Dallas or Oak Cliff.

SocraticGadfly, says:

CGrover, hell, we need one south of the Trinity. Whole Foods or Central Market, whichever comes first. We've got plenty of people here, and other higher end stores now coming to Cedar Hill.

My purchasing? The bulk bin items like brown rice, whole wheat berries, etc? WF is cheaper and has a little more variety?

Spices? CM has much more variety.

Coffee? CM has more variety, including organics, fair trades, shade growns, and is cheaper.

Cheeses? WF is less expensive for sure; CM has slight edge on variety. Neither carries Vella's five-year old raw milk cheddar, even though CM, at least, carries other Vella cheeses.

Bread? Neither one is fantastic on store-brand pre-wrapped. As far as bakery, I lean CM.

lakewooder, says:

Mike throws great parties, that's why he really can't patronize a dry grocery store.

I would suggest the Far West nightclub on Gaston at E. Grand for a full-service grocery store serving both sides of the lake. God knows a lot of people would like to be rid of that place - at least the East Dallas -- whoops White Rock YMCA - is not open when the drunk bumper cars and no law enforcement action starts late on weekends.

I don't think we were out of line wanting at least 'a nod' to the PD from WF. It took a couple of years and compromise from the Lakewood Shopping Center property owners and eight neighborhood groups to 'craft' the thing. WF should have known better than to be ham-fisted with East Dallas.