I'm aware of that but was trying to keep it basic as not to bore experts like Steve. I do Marketing & PR for a good sized regional company that adds locations frequently, I'm quite aware of the thought process that goes into it, but yes you are correct, traffic counts, buying patterns, competitors (although some companies look at it from opposite spectrums, ie Walgreens/CVS), the list goes on. I'm anxious for the 2010 data to be calculated, but that probably won't be released until 2011 or 2012.


But doing so made your argument invalid...

I check their website, and I think we are the only city in the country, that doesn't have one, and I think it a ashamed that Whole Foods haven't come here.

But doing so made your argument invalid...

how so?

I check their website, and I think we are the only city in the country, that doesn't have one, and I think it a ashamed that Whole Foods haven't come here.

I seriously doubt out of thousands of cities, Oklahoma City is the only city without Whole Foods. A lot of cities are smart in not wanting a high priced liberal infested waste of money like Whole Foods.

liberal infested? I know plenty of "conservatives" who shop at Whole Foods, myself included. That was the most off the wall comment about this topic yet. Congrats "smooth".

I seriously doubt out of thousands of cities, Oklahoma City is the only city without Whole Foods. A lot of cities are smart in not wanting a high priced liberal infested waste of money like Whole Foods.

Then please, stick with Wal-Mart. Whole Foods and its "liberal" selection of imported cheeses, artisan hand-made bakery goods, organic meats and vegetables, and other high quality specialty items are obviously not good enough for you.

Then please, stick with Wal-Mart. Whole Foods and its "liberal" selection of imported cheeses, artisan hand-made bakery goods, organic meats and vegetables, and other high quality specialty items are obviously not good enough for you.

"Organic"= liberal. Plus, I would rather have food treated for pests than to have pests in my food.

"Imported cheese"= liberal. They waste money depriving HONEST Americans of jobs.

"Artisan"= Liberal.

Your idea of "high quality" is what I call a waste of money. I can buy merchant brand labels and it's the same food as YOU call "high quality." It is still grown in the ground or raised on a Cattle Ranch.

I'll stick to where I currently shop... And no one mentioned Wal-Mart.. Just you.

You do realize places like Whole Foods sell more items from LOCAL farmers and Stateside companies made in the good ole USA. They are all about getting local suppliers whenever possible. Very little organic food if any is made overseas. Especially since the U.S. has high standards before a food can be certified organic? Domestic farmers are the ones who pay for these investments to reach "organic" certification. Your Walmart et all is the one who gets cheap processed stuff from overseas.

Give me some of that liberal fare any day.

Sure tastes a helluva lot better than cancer-causing, DNA-corrupting, chemical doused, inhumanely raised and slaughtered, highly processed, artificial and preserved "food."

"Organic"= liberal. Plus, I would rather have food treated for pests than to have pests in my food.

"Imported cheese"= liberal. They waste money depriving HONEST Americans of jobs.

"Artisan"= Liberal.

Your idea of "high quality" is what I call a waste of money. I can buy merchant brand labels and it's the same food as YOU call "high quality." It is still grown in the ground or raised on a Cattle Ranch.

I'll stick to where I currently shop... And no one mentioned Wal-Mart.. Just you.

Then by all means, exert your DEMOCRATIC right and DON'T SHOP THERE. I'll glady give them my "liberal" money, liberally, and eat their locally or regionally-grown pesticide- and chemical-free foods.

"Organic"= liberal. Plus, I would rather have food treated for pests than to have pests in my food.

"Imported cheese"= liberal. They waste money depriving HONEST Americans of jobs.

"Artisan"= Liberal.

Your idea of "high quality" is what I call a waste of money. I can buy merchant brand labels and it's the same food as YOU call "high quality." It is still grown in the ground or raised on a Cattle Ranch.

I'll stick to where I currently shop... And no one mentioned Wal-Mart.. Just you.


Smooth, you do know that John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods, is a big-time conservative, right? He wrote an excellent piece (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html)i n the Wall Street Journal that dismantled Obama's health care proposals and showed how Whole Foods's free-market approach would work better. That Op-Ed led to many liberals calling for a boycott of Whole Foods. The boycott failed spectacularly. Just thought you'd like to know that.

Anyway, when I lived in a city that had Whole Foods, I shopped there exclusively because I think the food tasted better and I try only to eat meat that's raised humanely. (And I'm a conservative.)

Smooth, you do know that John Mackey, the founder and CEO of Whole Foods, is a big-time conservative, right? He wrote an excellent piece (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574342170072865070.html)i n the Wall Street Journal that dismantled Obama's health care proposals and showed how Whole Foods's free-market approach would work better. That Op-Ed led to many liberals calling for a boycott of Whole Foods. Just thought you'd like to know that.

Anyway, when I lived in a city that had Whole Foods, I shopped there exclusively because I think the food tasted better and I try only to eat meat that's raised humanely. (And I'm a conservative.)

I've never heard of the man. And, frankly, I don't care. Liberals and people who waste money shop at those artsy stores... Not practical people like me. You people can waste all the money you want, I'll still be practical.

"Organic"= liberal. Plus, I would rather have food treated for pests than to have pests in my food.

"Imported cheese"= liberal. They waste money depriving HONEST Americans of jobs.

"Artisan"= Liberal.

Your idea of "high quality" is what I call a waste of money. I can buy merchant brand labels and it's the same food as YOU call "high quality." It is still grown in the ground or raised on a Cattle Ranch.

I'll stick to where I currently shop... And no one mentioned Wal-Mart.. Just you.

Replying to this twice because I had a moment of realization -- that this is the sort of rhetoric which has been offered by commie-nationalists, fascists and the like regarding minute items which they had associated some aspect of nationalistic pride to.

"Artisan"=unGerman

"Imported Cheese"= is not the cheese of mother Russia good enough to sustain the proletariat?

"Organic"=if your Supreme Leader has told you that the food is good enough to put in your body, why do you need the assurances of "scientists" and "experts," do you not trust that your government knows what is best for you, Comrade?

I've never heard of the man. And, frankly, I don't care. Liberals and people who waste money shop at those artsy stores... Not practical people like me. You people can waste all the money you want, I'll still be practical.

Wow. I like liberal food - who knew? awesome...

liberal infested? I know plenty of "conservatives" who shop at Whole Foods, myself included. That was the most off the wall comment about this topic yet. Congrats "smooth".

Look, Oklahoma isn't the reddest state in the union for nothing. But arguing over something so silly as liberal food or liberal stores is probably just what the powers that be in Washington, DC like to see things, so eyes and minds can be off their real agenda.

Let's cut the political crap, people. It is a real turn off.

how so?

What I meant was, that if you know how the analysis is done, why did you say that our demographics won't work unless we de-annex?

You people can waste all the money you want, I'll still be practical.

What do you mean, "you people"?

http://i39.tinypic.com/nfseq1.jpg

Replying to this twice because I had a moment of realization -- that this is the sort of rhetoric which has been offered by commie-nationalists, fascists and the like regarding minute items which they had associated some aspect of nationalistic pride to.

"Artisan"=unGerman

"Imported Cheese"= is not the cheese of mother Russia good enough to sustain the proletariat?

"Organic"=if your Supreme Leader has told you that the food is good enough to put in your body, why do you need the assurances of "scientists" and "experts," do you not trust that your government knows what is best for you, Comrade?

Exactly.

Ummmm. . .I just want a Whole Foods (Central Market/Trader Joe's). . . politics be damned!!

As to vegetables - Grow your own. Go green! Save on energy costs to transport. Good exercise to weed and get plenty of Vitamen D. Save money and contribute the savings to the poor. And if you don't grow your own, what is wrong with buying form local farmer's markets?

As to vegetables - Grow your own. Go green! Save on energy costs to transport. Good exercise to weed and get plenty of Vitamen D. Save money and contribute the savings to the poor. And if you don't grow your own, what is wrong with buying form local farmer's markets?

I do both, garden and frequent local farmers markets, but our grow season is so minimal, it would be nice to have a year round source.

Some of the locations in Denver and I think all of them in Boulder were part of the Wild Oat's chain that Whole Foods acquired, just like the Tulsa WF location. Wild Oat's was based in Boulder. We only have two Whole Foods in Austin (Downtown and North Austin) and this is their HQ city.

Ah, that makes sense, I didn't realize that Wild Oats originated out of Boulder. You're right, only 2 whole foods in Austin, I didn't believe you at first. But gosh be darned, the flagship store on Lamar is amazing. I'd live there if I could (inside the store, I mean) :-)

No offense, but this topic is beginning to bore me. This Whole Foods store may be one of the worst kept secrets in town ... I hear some PR people may be too clever for their own good.

Come on Steve, you know we won't drop the obsessive hype until the opening soon sign pops up! Its incredible, isn't it?

"Organic"= liberal. Plus, I would rather have food treated for pests than to have pests in my food.

"Imported cheese"= liberal. They waste money depriving HONEST Americans of jobs.

"Artisan"= Liberal.

Your idea of "high quality" is what I call a waste of money. I can buy merchant brand labels and it's the same food as YOU call "high quality." It is still grown in the ground or raised on a Cattle Ranch.

I'll stick to where I currently shop... And no one mentioned Wal-Mart.. Just you.

Quite possibly the funniest post I have ever seen on a message board...

For what it's worth, my wife and I actually were at the Whole Foods in Tulsa today. Posing as just an ordinary customer (gasp!), I mentioned we were from OKC and asked why Whole Foods is not in OKC. To which two cashiers responded they had been informed by the regional manager that the deal was done for a store to come to OKC.
BTW: my sources are better than two cashiers, but this just goes to show how this is not a secret.

What little I know about retail, I learned from my daughter. Employees are usually informed about new store openings by district managers before announcements are made. So, although the cashiers probably aren't quotable sources, they are probably reasonably reliable. And, buildings are coming down on the most logical site for the store.

I say we just let this thread die until a "coming soon" sign pops up somewhere..

I say we just let this thread die until a "coming soon" sign pops up somewhere..

I thought this thread was the coming soon sign
:bedtime:

For what it's worth, my wife and I actually were at the Whole Foods in Tulsa today. Posing as just an ordinary customer (gasp!), I mentioned we were from OKC and asked why Whole Foods is not in OKC. To which two cashiers responded they had been informed by the regional manager that the deal was done for a store to come to OKC.
BTW: my sources are better than two cashiers, but this just goes to show how this is not a secret.

For those of us who are still concerned about it, maybe Steve can give us some sense of when this worst-kept secret will at least be revealed. 2010? Will I be shopping at a Whole Foods in early 2011? That's all I really want to know.

I moved here two years ago. I lived a few blocks away from a Whole Foods and I don't miss it a bit, I went there a few times and didn't care for it.

Oh how I miss the Central Market though! Now that's what a grocery store should be!

I say we finish this conversation here:
Forums | WholeFoodsMarket.com (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/forums/index.php?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3ab7a46641-decf-4337-a3a5-93b2342d08bfForum%3abbfb0510-f536-4fab-9cec-ae561906a267Discussion%3a967a8c16-e6e6-48c1-be4a-d87696a3e071&plckCategoryCurrentPage=0)

What could it hurt?

We're either getting one or we're not, and if we're not, then why not voice our desires on their forum.

Looks like the last poster there thinks OKC won't support a Whole Foods and suggests one in Broken Arrow instead. I suspect his/her screenname is misleading.

how ridiculous

Open a Whole Foods right next to the Super Target on Penn and Memorial.. LOL!! They would be BUSY!

What do you mean, "you people"?

http://i39.tinypic.com/nfseq1.jpg


LOL!

Post of the week.

Quite possibly the funniest post I have ever seen on a message board...

And the most narrow minded.

Some of the locations in Denver and I think all of them in Boulder were part of the Wild Oat's chain that Whole Foods acquired, just like the Tulsa WF location. Wild Oat's was based in Boulder. We only have two Whole Foods in Austin (Downtown and North Austin) and this is their HQ city.

Well that makes sense. We just moved here and I was totally amazed at how many WF there are here. I couldn't figure out why if there were like a dozen or more in the Denver metro how OKC couldn't have just ONE.

Guess we here in Denver are just lucky :)

In the FTC agreement Whole Foods has to divest 32 stores originally acquired from Wild Oats of which 13 are closed and 19 still open are vice versa. At least one was in Boulder as I recall the article I read. I think there were 4 Wild Oats stores in Boulder in the original acquisition.

Also I know there has been a lot of discussion in investment articles about WFMI and the number of shares purchased by Leonard Green Partners and what that might mean about future operation of Whole Foods.

I went to the new Park Lane flagship store in Dallas today. All I can say is "wow" compared to the other WF I've been to, and that's saying a lot. I'll try to post some pictures sometime this week.

In the FTC agreement Whole Foods has to divest 32 stores originally acquired from Wild Oats of which 13 are closed and 19 still open are vice versa. At least one was in Boulder as I recall the article I read. I think there were 4 Wild Oats stores in Boulder in the original acquisition.
We have another store here called Sun Harvest that was part of Wild Oats and had to be divested by WF as well. They have two locations here in Austin (close to the South Austin Central Market) and San Antonio, one in Corpus Christi, McAllen, El Paso and Nacodoches. Not sure how many of those may or may not have been Wild Oats stores.

I went to the newest Whole Foods in Dallas over the weekend.. It was absolutely amazing how nice this place was!! Just opened as of like March 12th I believe..

Dallas (Park Lane) Home | WholeFoodsMarket.com (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/parklane/)

Weird, I wonder if we were at Park Lane the same time. I'll try to post my pics tomorrow.

Weird, I wonder if we were at Park Lane the same time. I'll try to post my pics tomorrow.

Its possible man... We went a couple of times during our visit there... Couldn't get enough of it.. Tried caviar for the first time... Really nasty..

Mods, feel free to resize a little bigger, I couldn't figure out how to resize.

I took these of the Park Lane store in Dallas this past Sunday. It has an escalator and a cart escalator in the store that goes down to the parking garage so you can keep yourself and goods dry. I should have taken pictures of it as well. The last picture is one of the "main streets" in this development.

http://www.okctalk.com/gallery/data/500/DSC02908.jpg
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There's now a facebook group: Petition to get a Whole Foods Market in Oklahoma City that has over 8,000 members.

Log In | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=62193054055)

???

I thought Steve said this was already a done deal, or worst kept secret or something?

Why this huge push to get something we're apparently already getting?

Never hurts, at least until something is formally announced.

fuzzytoad, what I'm saying is that I've got an army of sources saying it's a done deal. But keep in mind, until a building rising out of the ground, and in this economy, occupied, the deal isn't totally done.

There's now a facebook group: Petition to get a Whole Foods Market in Oklahoma City that has over 8,000 members.

Log In | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=62193054055)

Thanks Bett - just sent out 25 invites via Facebook!

Looks like Wal Mart is going after Whole Foods.

Top Stocks- MSN Money (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/top-stocks/default.aspx?feat=1729142&GT1=33002)

Looks like Wal Mart is going after Whole Foods.

Top Stocks- MSN Money (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/top-stocks/default.aspx?feat=1729142&GT1=33002)

Ohh HELL no!

Doesn't look like they want to take it over, just compete.

Looks like Wal Mart is going after Whole Foods.

Top Stocks- MSN Money (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/top-stocks/default.aspx?feat=1729142&GT1=33002)

"The nation's largest retailer is taking a new interest in selling fresh, locally grown produce. Will this threaten its upscale grocery rival?"

I don't really think so. Whole Foods is not really successful just because it carries a large selection of organic products. Its successful because it is an UPSCALE GROCERY STORE, something that Walmart will never be. I would post more evidence but just take a look at metro's photos, and really ask yourself, would most people that choose to spend more money to shop at this establishment really go to Walmart just because they sell organic produce at a slightly cheaper price? I highly doubt it. Plus, Walmart has been selling organic produce for years, this is not new.

In addition, for those people that are true Whole Foods loyalists, part of what makes WF so great for people who want to follow a sustainable or organic lifestyle is that they can trust that items WF stocks meet certain criteria (sustainable, locally produced, or organic, or all three) and won't have to do much thinking to find these items. Can't say the same for Walmart...

FYI Let’s Talk About Whole Foods | OKC Central (http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral/2010/03/27/lets-talk-about-whole-foods/)

According to this blog and some double hearsay, Whole Food has confirmed plans to build in downtown OKC in June of 2011.

Whole Foods Coming to Oklahoma City (http://networkedblogs.com/3x7OP)

ETA: Nothing in the Store Development page on the Whole Foods site.

In Downtown? not by The Cheasapeake campus?

Downtown? Do you think Steve Cramer just isn't familiar with OKC; thinking Classen Curve is downtown?

Anyone else receive this email other than some random blog?