Having never been to a store and never understood all the hype I went in yesterday around 5:30 and was pleasantly surprised with what they had to offer on all fronts. Some things were more expensive than i thought as well as some items were cheaper than I expected. Fair balance throughout. I wish there was a bigger selection of ready to eat take home meals. I will be back

What is in the back right corner? Is there a easy way to see upstairs or is it hidden corporate offices.

Those stairs lead up to the breakroom.

They have a webpage for this location, although it's not fully fleshed out yet.

There is a calendar of events:

http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/oklahomacity/

Hopefully the success of this store leads them to open another on the south side of the metro, likely Norman.

Norman maybe. Southside no. Wal-Mart shoppers.

Norman maybe. Southside no. Wal-Mart shoppers.

You're absolutely correct that Norman is more likely than south OKC but your generaliztion of that area as Wal-Mart shoppers is very incorrect. Some of the wealthiest developments in the entire metro are in south OKC.

For those of you that haven't gone yet, this website: http://www.anorganicwife.com/2011/10/whole-foods-comes-to-oklahoma-city.html has some good photos of the inside.

You're absolutely correct that Norman is more likely than south OKC but your generaliztion of that area as Wal-Mart shoppers is very incorrect. Some of the wealthiest developments in the entire metro are in south OKC.

The "Wal-Mart shoppers" was also the same generalization throw at Oklahoma City residents at large because of the percentage of the grocery market Wal-Mart had captured. But clearly, we will happily shop elsewhere in large volume if presented with better opportunities.

^^^
Correct. I am not sure what Wal-marts share of the market is but it isn't like it is 100% (even with the multiple Supercenter & Neighborhood Markets), there are plenty of other choices all over the metro area including southside.

You're absolutely correct that Norman is more likely than south OKC but your generaliztion of that area as Wal-Mart shoppers is very incorrect. Some of the wealthiest developments in the entire metro are in south OKC.

You mean "neuveau riche" Wal-Mart shoppers? Yes. The southside has lots of those.

I did my weekly shopping at Whole Foods this week to see what I thought about it. I used to shop at them a long time ago in Texas, but most recently have been shopping at Natural Grocer in Norman. From my perspective, here are the pros:


The store is big. As best as I can recall this is a real, full-sized Whole Foods. The only thing missing is of course the liquor selection, but I didn't miss it.
It's nice to finally have a store in OKC that isn't 100% health food or 100% mass products. It's so great to be able to buy, for example, Organic Valley products and Coke at the same time in the same store.
I had forgotten how much I missed the fantastic deli and meat markets of Whole Foods. In addition to deli meats and fresh breads, there is a line where you can have a pizza made fresh for you as you like it, there's a sushi bar, there are numerous pre-made dinners ready to go, if I remember correctly the standard sandwich and coffee bars are there, they have a salad bar, and they have a large buffet bar where you can grab lunch or dinner and go. The buffet includes traditional American foods, Asian dishes, and East Indian dishes. I took some Indian home with me and found it to be surprisingly good.
Fish from the meat market was quite good.
There is an outdoor terrace but it wasn't in use while I was there. It will be interesting to see if they do live music and things that are common in other cities.


The cons as I see them:


Prices are high. Some items were double what I have been paying at Natural Grocer.
Their selection of special dietary requirement foods was not as large as I had hoped. Other stores in the metro have way, way more gluten free and vigen options.
I was surprised at how wilted and day-old some of the vegetables I purchased looked considering I was there on Day 2. Green onions were quite horrible looking... I expected better quality control.
I was hoping they would have a larger selection of Kettle chips and Envirokids breakfast products. Other WF stores I have been to have had more flavors/choices.
The outdoor terrace that I mentioned... it was getting dark but if I remember correctly it is just sort of surrounded by parking lot. The Whole Foods I used to shop at in Texas had a landscaped park that their terrace faced (WF built the park). It's not a big deal just an aw shucks would have been nice.


One not-exactly negative is that there are a lot of people going there right now just browsing and not buying anything. The store was extremely crowded when I went, making it difficult to actually shop, but when I got up to the counters there were very few people in line compared to the number of people in the store so that went quickly. Come to think of it another negative just due to it being a new store was that not all of my items rang up properly and took some extra time to do a price check. I am sure that will get better in time.

So in summary, I think if you plan on shopping here I would wait another week or two and let the crowds die down. If I lived in OKC I would probably make this my weekly shopping store (although I have not been to Sunflower so I can't compare it to that). Since I don't live in OKC I will probably stick with Natural Grocer in Norman because honestly I like the products they have better from a weekly shopping standpoint. I still plan on hitting Whole Foods every now and then for their unique deli and store brand items that I can't get anywhere else.

You're absolutely correct that Norman is more likely than south OKC but your generaliztion of that area as Wal-Mart shoppers is very incorrect. Some of the wealthiest developments in the entire metro are in south OKC.

Subdivisions maybe but retail no

I wouldn't expect them to open a second location any time soon. There are lots of bigger markets with only one Whole Foods, and the OKC location is somewhat centrally located.

Also, keep in mind that CHK gave them big incentives.

I wouldn't expect them to open a second location any time soon. There are lots of bigger markets with only one Whole Foods, and the OKC location is somewhat centrally located.

Also, keep in mind that CHK gave them big incentives.

Whatever Pete! Tulsa is getting a second Whole Foods in south Tulsa. If they can have two then we should have at least two. Edmond could support one and so could Norman!

Finally made it over. It is probably the smallest wholefoods i have ever been in but it has all the essentials. the outdoor eating area is the nicest of any i have ever seen at a whole foods. I can't help but wonder if they have other plans for it in the event the laws are changed regarding alcohol sales. It is weird how you can see the stair in the back from the outside but not from the inside of the store.

http://city-sentinel.com/?p=1833

Whole Foods Market has opened its 41,000-square- foot whole and organic foods store in Midtown, featuring a wide variety of healthy food fare, including artisanal products from Oklahoma, company officials said. ...

Midtown???

You mean "neuveau riche" Wal-Mart shoppers? Yes. The southside has lots of those.

Sayeth the expert on all things Southside. LOL
Get back to us when you know what you're talking about and can quit looking down your nose.

I doubt OKC gets a second store for a long time. If they do it will go in the NW area of town (Edmund). I couldn't see Norman ever getting one.

Finally made it over. It is probably the smallest wholefoods i have ever been in but it has all the essentials. the outdoor eating area is the nicest of any i have ever seen at a whole foods. I can't help but wonder if they have other plans for it in the event the laws are changed regarding alcohol sales. It is weird how you can see the stair in the back from the outside but not from the inside of the store.
They are in expansion mode again and the overwhelming majority of the new stores being planned are about the same size as the OKC store. They are opening up 4 new stores in Austin and relocating the current north side store to The Domain. The relocated store in The Domain is slated to be an 80,000 sf but it was planned back in 2007 before the crash, they have started construction of it and maintained the same size. The new stores in Austin (there are currently only two stores) are all around 35,000 sf, they have gone away from developing the larger stores and are going into doing multiple smaller stores. We haven't had one in South Austin but there is one planned near the Costco store. So I could see Norman getting one next and an Edmond location some time later.

Found out last night at a party that they are doing quadruple their estimated opening week in seafood sales. The most in the country of all their stores in fact.

I could believe those sales numbers. Last night when i checked out they had ever lane open and the line were still back into the aisles. I went to look at the deli case and it was almost sold out.

I said they won't add a second store "any time soon", not ever.

They may well put one or two more in the metro but I bet it won't happen for at least a couple of years.

I was hoping they would put a patio with outdoor seating facing the creek. They really boggled the site plan IMO.

If they wanted, they could easily extend that outdoor patio towards the creek on the east side; could even wrap it around the back and facing the creek if they wanted.

They are spending a lot of money to terrace/landscape that creek and the store has it's back completely turned to it:

http://i980.photobucket.com/albums/ae288/snewlon/DSC02833.jpg

Sayeth the expert on all things Southside. LOL
Get back to us when you know what you're talking about and can quit looking down your nose.

Trust me. I know the Southside very well. Chatanay Square? Check. Rivendell? Check. Lots of fast food diners and Wal-Mart shoppers? Check check.

I agree with the comment about the store being small. It is surprisingly small. The prepared foods section is somewhat disappointing also.

Trust me. I know the Southside very well. Chatanay Square? Check. Rivendell? Check. Lots of fast food diners and Wal-Mart shoppers? Check check.

Trust me. You don't know the Southside any better than I do. Just because Walmart stores and fast food places are busy is no validation of your point. Check out how busy the Walmart stores and fast food places are in north OKC and Edmond. You have no inside information about the shopping habits or desires of the upscale Southside residents. This discussion really adds little to the subject matter at hand anyway so I'm not taking it any further.

I agree with the comment about the store being small. It is surprisingly small. The prepared foods section is somewhat disappointing also.

The store is smaller than the ones I have been to in Chicago and Houston, but it is about the same size as the one in downtown Portland. It doesn't have the massive wine or beer sections that those stores have, so that might be why it is smaller.

The store is smaller than the ones I have been to in Chicago and Houston, but it is about the same size as the one in downtown Portland. It doesn't have the massive wine or beer sections that those stores have, so that might be why it is smaller.

True on the beer and wine, but the prepared foods sections seems smaller than the one in Tulsa. They have the pizza bar, sushi bar, a little coffee-shop type thing and that's about it. The one in Tulsa seems nicer. Am I imagining this?

I think the prepared foods section is bigger than Tulsa, as is the store. Also keep in mind that the BBQ station and a soup station is in the NW corner of the store by the meat counter. Since this was built from the ground up, I just think it has a smarter layout than Tulsa so it may appear smaller in some departments because it has a more efficient layout.

Can't beat this deal every Thursday:

http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/oklahomacity/wp-content/blogs.dir/341/files/2011/08/PizzaThursdaySocMed-235x300.jpg

Went on Tuesday for the first time, and found crowded aisles, reasonable prices, helpful friendly staff, piss poor parking, great stuffed tilapia, and outdated produce.
If they could lose the "crowd"(hopefully the new will wear off) it'd take care of two negatives. Kind of a wash though, actually.

Looking at the webcam, you can see the crowds have died substantially.

At most times, you can see at least a few empty spaces in the main lot in front of the store.

Still plenty busy, but not need-a-traffic-cop busy.

How are their pizzas? Want to take advantage of that deal if they're worth checking out.

I've not had their pizzas, but according to my son, they area very good. He worked near one in DC and said he would often go there and have their pizza for lunch.

They are good, and at least they use high quality, low processed ingredients unlike the chains. I wouldn't call this deal a steal, but it is a good value

A cashier told me that they have light traffic 8:00 - 9:30 a.m., and then a rush for the remainder of the day. Pretty packed when I arrived last night at 7:30. YMMV.

Went again tonight with the family. This was the second time we checked out the prepared foods area. Disappointing to say the least. Having been to multiple WF locations, I can honestly say the prepared foods in the OKC store so far are leaving a lot to be desired.

We sat in the patio dining area to eat and there was no music. Just dead air. It was discomfiting and weird. The store is lacking in many ways but I'm hopeful it will step up its game soon.

The fresh seafood has me the most excited but so far I actually like the store in Tulsa better, mainly for the single consolidated prepared food area (with better quality food and a more inviting atmosphere). I'm not giving up on WF yet.

I never got on with the Tulsa store because of how cramped the interior aisles are (holy claustrophobia Batman!).

I just tried the pizzas at Whole Foods and am quite impressed. They're quite gorgeous to look upon and the toppings are fresh and lovely. I didn't take advantage of the full pie for $9.99 deal, but their pizza by the pound is priced quite reasonably. I got two large slices of Pepperoni Pesto pizza for $3.44. I didn't ask if the pizzas they sell on Thursdays are the same size as the one they cut into to get my slices, but if they are $9.99 is a killer deal.

Had that pizza deal last night. It was delicious! I was really impressed with the store. The prices are about to be expected, but, having shopped at the Homeland at Britton and May for so long, I was kind of numb to high prices. Probably won't do the bulk of my shopping there, but the meat/fish selection was great, and the prepared foods sections look fantastic.

Mid and I went in today to see what it's all about. It was busy, but not as crazy as I expected. The larger store lets the people spread out, unlike Sunflower. There were so many cheeses at the cheese counter...I didn't know any of the ones I looked at. I felt uncultured. Get it? UNCULTURED? Anyway, I will definitely have to go back for the meat and cheese, perhaps the prepared foods, and Mid was definitely interested in the sushi so if anyone has feedback on that, I'm all ears.

The sushi I had was surprisingly good for a grocery store. But it's still grocery store sushi if that makes sense. I don't remember what I had... Maybe tuna and cream cheese.

I spoke to a Whole Foods employee who is not from OKC. She acknowledged the company totally underestimated how well received the store would be in OKC. In her words, she said the OKC store is a "Million Dollar" store and the company thought it would be a "300 Thousand Dollar" store. Not sure if this is daily, weekly or monthly gross, but her point was made.

She told me the OKC store is outperforming the 80,000 square foot Dallas NorthPark store by a large margin and that they should have actually switched the locations of the stores! She said the company now realizes they could have put the 80,000 square foot location in OKC instead of this cramped 35,000 square foot location.

She also said the prepared foods section in OKC is disappointing by WF standards and that the entire store layout was "not well thought through."

I appreciated her candor, but it sucks for OKC that we ended up getting the short end of the stick because the bean counters in Austin just thought we were a bunch of yokel Wal-Mart shoppers and really only came here because Aubrey bribed them.

She went on to say the store we have now is not an expandable footprint so WF will probably be building "2 to 3" more stores in the OKC area in the next year or so.

She told me the OKC store is outperforming the 80,000 square foot Dallas NorthPark store by a large margin and that they should have actually switched the locations of the stores! She said the company now realizes they could have put the 80,000 square foot location in OKC instead of this cramped 35,000 square foot location.


The OKC WF has been open for less than two weeks--I wonder if a year from now, after the novelty wears off, OKC's WF will still be (allegedly) outperforming the Park Lane WF location. Not saying it won't remain successful...but it's not really fair to judge the success based on the rush of customers to the city's first WF. I frankly would question whether or not OKC would, in the long run, support a giant WF store like the Park Lane or the Austin flagship location.

She went on to say the store we have now is not an expandable footprint so WF will probably be building "2 to 3" more stores in the OKC area in the next year or so.

3 would be perfect for the metro area.

I don;t see how they could be building that many so fast. They would have to aquire buildings sites and come up with plans and then start construction. All which take longer then a year i would guess.

I visited again this weekend and they are out of alot of different things still but not as bad as the week before. Crowds were also down a bit but it was still busy for a Saturday night.

The OKC WF has been open for less than two weeks--I wonder if a year from now, after the novelty wears off, OKC's WF will still be (allegedly) outperforming the Park Lane WF location. Not saying it won't remain successful...but it's not really fair to judge the success based on the rush of customers to the city's first WF. I frankly would question whether or not OKC would, in the long run, support a giant WF store like the Park Lane or the Austin flagship location.

I understand your skepticism, but these bean counters know how to project based on inflated opening numbers. They expect opening numbers to be inflated and take that into account. What they didn't expect was that the numbers would be 60% to 70% above their inflated expectations.

Regarding the Park Lane location, it has underperformed their expectations. That said, there's a lot of competition in Dallas for the dollar, including more than 10 Whole Foods locations, Central Market, etc.

I love the Park Lane location (been there 3x), but I agree it probably does under perform, it is not very busy every time I've been in there. I wish OOC had a Park Lane or Mockingbird station type development, but as you said, I think Dallas is at a point where it is self competing vs. meeting market demand.

Whole Foods Grand Opening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRj2MtmaoeU

All I would say is closer to downtown please. Both WF and Sunflower would be welcomed with open arms near OCU or in proximity to where the Homeland is at Shartlel.

And we need a "anchor" "convenience grocer" on the new streetcar, light rail line that has higher quality foods. A Sunflower sized/type market would easily do well.

My guess is that both companies will take the same approach to everyone else and throw them in far-flung suburbs and continue to misunderstand the denser inner-city market which can support more.

Tulsa is already getting #2?

OKC metro is starving for quality options, be it groceries or other things. Maybe marketers will start taking notice now.

Same thing happened with Natural Grocer in Norman... It has been insanely busy ever since opening.

I know folks get upset when locals eat at chains or shop at corporate stores but I think the reason why that is so prevalent here is because our locally owned options across the board are just so limited in quality. I hope more upscale business move to Oklahoma and cause everyone to up their game.

I did what I could to support locally owned grocers, but they never stepped up in the game. I doubt I ever spend a penny in Homeland again. Done. Still support Crest, but they have FAILED to bring in meats that aren't straight off the Tyson conveyer belt. I don't want to feed this crap to my family, so I'm doing my best to check out of the industrial food system, and to do that, I'll shop at Whole Foods and Sunflower. Crest, Buy 4 Less, and Homeland never did anything to meet this demand. They failed and I don't feel sorry for them, especially after politely asking them about this kind of food for years.

Got Flies?

I was in WF yesterday and counted no less than 10 flies that were buzzing around the barbeque buffet table located in the meat department. I even noticed employees trying to shoo away the flies.

Bon Appetit.

All I would say is closer to downtown please. Both WF and Sunflower would be welcomed with open arms near OCU or in proximity to where the Homeland is at Shartlel.

And we need a "anchor" "convenience grocer" on the new streetcar, light rail line that has higher quality foods. A Sunflower sized/type market would easily do well.

My guess is that both companies will take the same approach to everyone else and throw them in far-flung suburbs and continue to misunderstand the denser inner-city market which can support more.

Could not agree more. Sunflower (or to a lesser extent for me, a WF) near the Homeland location at 18th and Classen or somewhere near the 23rd st corridor would be a god send! The potential market is huge and it would really make life easier for me.

Got Flies?

I was in WF yesterday and counted no less than 10 flies that were buzzing around the barbeque buffet table located in the meat department. I even noticed employees trying to shoo away the flies.

Bon Appetit.

Got milk?

I've noticed WF still hasn't added the OKC location to their mobile apps. We need an email/ Facebook blitz to get them to add OKC to the locations page on their mobile apps.

Got Flies?

I was in WF yesterday and counted no less than 10 flies that were buzzing around the barbeque buffet table located in the meat department. I even noticed employees trying to shoo away the flies.

Bon Appetit.

Yep. Laura made me promise that I would not buy their prepared foods after seeing them. lol

It seems that we have a fly problem in OKC generally speaking. It is notoriously an apparent problem in nearly all the metro Starbucks as well. No vestibules or air curtains to keep them out.

My wife and I went on Sunday and I have to say, I am in love with this place! So glad we finally have one!

I've noticed WF still hasn't added the OKC location to their mobile apps. We need an email/ Facebook blitz to get them to add OKC to the locations page on their mobile apps.

I have the android app for WF and the OKC store is in there with specials and everything.

Yep. Laura made me promise that I would not buy their prepared foods after seeing them. lol

It seems that we have a fly problem in OKC generally speaking. It is notoriously an apparent problem in nearly all the metro Starbucks as well. No vestibules or air curtains to keep them out.

Hopefully we'll get a good cold snap to kill them off! They are all over our cafeteria.

but, but, these are WF flies! Not those icky lower class flies from the lesser regions. They only land on WF shoppers and WF items or WF surfaces. How could they possibly be a bad thing?