Whole Foods

[redrunner]

I believe the building permit says the WF building under construction will be 39,750 square ft. and an overall height of 37 ft.

[Dustin]

I guess Whole Foods would be okay if you want to pay a lot for groceries, but I would like to see more main stream stores like Safeway, Krogers, etc. Of course, WF is main stream too, but what about the cost of the weekly groceries?

I have always viewed Whole Foods as a "specialty" food market. Sure they have all your essentials, but they also have items not found anywhere else in Oklahoma. Thats why it's going to be so popular here. Also, don't they only sell organic? That would be one of the reasons the prices are high.

And once all the snoots in N.H. shop there and see the quality, they wont be going anywhere else.

[okcpulse]

I have always viewed Whole Foods as a "specialty" food market. Sure they have all your essentials, but they also have items not found anywhere else in Oklahoma. Thats why it's going to be so popular here. Also, don't they only sell organic? That would be one of the reasons the prices are high.

And once all the snoots in N.H. shop there and see the quality, they wont be going anywhere else.

Hence giving Crapland a run for their money.

[metro]

I have always viewed Whole Foods as a "specialty" food market. Sure they have all your essentials, but they also have items not found anywhere else in Oklahoma. Thats why it's going to be so popular here. Also, don't they only sell organic? That would be one of the reasons the prices are high.

And once all the snoots in N.H. shop there and see the quality, they wont be going anywhere else.

Once they see? More like once it opens, most already shop at WF when elsewhere that has one. I don't think WF selection would be any surprise to the NH crowd or lots of others in the metro. Heck, when I'm in Tulsa or Dallas I get my weeks groceries and bring them back to OKC.

I know several others on this site that do the same and we aren't the NH crowd.

[ChargerAg]

Metro speaks the truth. I routinely stock up at whole foods when in Tulsa or Dallas.

[Celebrator]

Same here. Just went to the Tulsa store two weeks ago and brought home quite a haul. I do it each time I go to Dallas. I do it each time I go to St. Louis. I also hit Trader Joe's when in STL. My wife and I always laugh at ourselves when we travel and hit grocery stores instead of tourist attractions.

[Larry OKC]

^^^
We used to do that w/Wal-Marts...LOL

[Pete]

Whole Foods home office just applied for a $4,000,000 building permit, so it looks like they are getting ready to hand over the shell for tenant improvements.

Looks like total cost of the project will be $14,000,000. It also lists the total square footage at 41,269.

[okclee]

With this news, we should see an Grand Opening date soon.

[metro]

Sure doesn't look that big, but hope you're right. Yeah the shell is almost done.

[CuatrodeMayo]

$341 per square foot....yikes.

[Pete]

I believe that square footage total includes the 2nd level office/storage.

And the total cost must also include the substantial site work and parking lot and bridge (over the creek) construction.

[ChargerAg]

How can they be filing that permit already? there isn't even a front wall or parking lot. have they even started bricking the 3 sides that are up?

[bluedogok]

Have you ever tried to construct a large project in a short time frame? In cases like this you always submit for permit before you actually need it in the hopes that it will be ready t the time you start on what the permit is needed for. It can take a ridiculous amount of time to get a permit through the system, in almost every jurisdiction most citidiots (city staffers) don't exactly have a reputation for expediency or common sense. At the permit departments that I have dealt with seem to fit that criteria.

[ChargerAg]

that is a interesting take bluedogok. What would be your guess time wise for when wholefoods took over the site for interior work? Is there a average that it take a permit to flow through the system?

[Swake2]

Hopefully, after people there are crippled by Whole Foods' prices, you'll get a Sprouts. Same stuff, just way cheaper. They're popping up all over LA here and I couldn't be happier! But I am glad to see that OKC is moving along!

Sprouts is probably on the way now. They are rumored to the be the organic store going in at The Walk at Tulsa Hills, and while the developer won't confirm who the store is, he says the chain who has committed is from out of state and wants to open multiple stores in Oklahoma.

[bluedogok]

that is a interesting take bluedogok. What would be your guess time wise for when wholefoods took over the site for interior work? Is there a average that it take a permit to flow through the system?

On shell/TI work one typically follows the other. Typically as soon as the building is weathered in they can start on interiors but it really depends on the jurisdiction. Down here contractors can start on certain interior items before shell final inspections or TI permits are issued but they are taking a risk that plan review may have changes that have to be implemented after items are already in place. I have had that happen on the last two fast track projects. One was a 20,000 sf TI finish out in a cold, dark shell, we had the project kickoff meeting the Tuesday after Memorial Day and they were moved in by the middle of September and a certain reviewer at the permit office held up the project for a couple of weeks with things "he wanted done" that were not required by code, eventually his boss signed off on the permit with the minimal changes we applied to satisfy the original reviewer wishes so it looked like we addressed his comments. I guess he was thinking he was Paul Brum.

I haven't done any work in OKC for 8-9 years, so I am not sure how responsive the permit department is or their current policies. Except for Brum, the OKC permit dept. was not that bad to work with back then.

Sprouts is probably on the way now. They are rumored to the be the organic store going in at The Walk at Tulsa Hills, and while the developer won't confirm who the store is, he says the chain who has committed is from out of state and wants to open multiple stores in Oklahoma.

Sprouts is a nice store, I go to Sunflower (they changed the name from Newflower in Texas after getting trademark issues in Texas sorted out recently) more often because it is closer to my house. Sunflower and Sprouts are very similar in size and scope, either (or both) would be a great addition to the OKC or Tulsa metro areas.

[mugofbeer]

Uh-oh time for Sunflower Markets - - http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news...ution-02112011

[Matt]

Speaking of Sunflower Markets: When they offer you a yogurt sample, take a pass.

[Thunder]

Speaking of Sunflower Markets: When they offer you a yogurt sample, take a pass.

Looks like those ladies was not the swallow kind. LOL!

Anyone have the latest pix of the construction? Its been a long time, it gotta be done already.

[ChargerAg]

I will second the request for new pics.

We still need to solve the mystery on what is going on with that back corner of the store and where the outdoor seating area will be.

[iMAX386]

I don't have pics but I drove by it tonight and it doesn't look significantly different than the last set of pics, which is disappointing. But then again weather has sucked for 2 weeks.

[circuitboard]

YUCK!

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/02/13/...ex.html?hpt=T2

[metro]

I will second the request for new pics.

We still need to solve the mystery on what is going on with that back corner of the store and where the outdoor seating area will be.

To my knowledge they didn't promise and outdoor seating are, I believe it was purely our speculation.

[redrunner]

For those requesting pics...This link was posted before http://oxblue.com/pro/open/smithandpickel/wholefoods It's a link to a live webcam. You can use this to check the progress at anytime.