Whole Foods

[metro]

If moore is going after it then you can count on it never getting to Norman. Moore steals every decent business away from Norman. They are the bully big brother.

Wow, really?

[soonerguru]

Moore is not a Whole Foods type of place. Sam's all the way, baby.

[Easy180]

Moore is not a Whole Foods type of place. Sam's all the way, baby.

You are probably right... I would prefer a Costco over Whole Lotta Money Foods

[ChargerAg]

I like whole foods but a Costco in Moore would be a much better fit for the OKC area.

[soonermike]

While there are several businesses I would rather see in Moore first (Costco for starters), it actully would make a lot of sense for Whole foods to put a store in south Moore. They would draw not only from the Moore residents in the area, but from Norman and South OKC (specifically the 73170 zip) as well. Add to that the Moore city government's propensity to give incentives to businesses they want in their town, and Moore is a logical choice for a lot of the retail we would like to see in the metro.

[milkmandude]

Their CEO is in town today, and informed the OKC store that the second store was being put in and that he'd be in Norman later this afternoon scouting locations with realtors as it is their ideal location. College education is their most important demographic, not income. He said it could take up to 36 months after securing a spot and he was very picky. I think the official announcement won't be til October when their FY ends.

[bluedogok]

Here's an article from Architect magazine referring to a Salon article about the "Whole Foods Effect" on urban locations and what they hope it brings to Detroit.

Architect - Can the Whole Foods Effect Be Repeated?
Salon - Whole Foods is coming? Time to buy

[lasomeday]

Their CEO is in town today, and informed the OKC store that the second store was being put in and that he'd be in Norman later this afternoon scouting locations with realtors as it is their ideal location. College education is their most important demographic, not income. He said it could take up to 36 months after securing a spot and he was very picky. I think the official announcement won't be til October when their FY ends.

I think Norman's higher population than Edmond helped sway them as well. Also the current Whole Foods is closer to Edmond than Norman.

[bluedogok]

Whole Foods has changed their expansion strategy quite a bit since 2008, even in their home market of Austin there was only two stores, the flagship store under the HQ tower and the older, smaller store in North Austin that is now being replaced with the originally planned 80,000 sf store, they are also building smaller (35-45K stores) in other Austin area locations like the one near our old house in South Austin. That was a marked change from their original expansion before the fall of 2008 when almost every store they were planning was 70K+ in size. I could see another going into Edmond in a few years since the smaller, multiple store concept seems to be their main development direction.

[milkmandude]

The CEO apparently was NOT at all impressed by Norman, go figure (longhorn), and wants to look into Edmond/North area.

[Soonerman]

The CEO apparently was NOT at all impressed by Norman, go figure (longhorn), and wants to look into Edmond/North area.

When did you hear about this?

[Questor]

The CEO apparently was NOT at all impressed by Norman, go figure (longhorn), and wants to look into Edmond/North area.

Norman's one shot at making something truly upscale was UNP. They billed it as a lifestyle center, but its architecture and construction materials make it look like any run of the mill large strip mall. After looking there where else is there to look really if you're a Whole Foods. It's really quite sad what could have been and what is.

[soonerguru]

The CEO apparently was NOT at all impressed by Norman, go figure (longhorn), and wants to look into Edmond/North area.

Norman is great but it looks rough around the edges. Hopefully the CEO is not so stupid and shallow to be swayed by such cosmetic issues, because Norman has super demos for Whole Foods.

[mcca7596]

If they're going into the late, great Paris of the Midwest (Detroit), then they should go into Norman by gosh.

[BoulderSooner]

Norman's one shot at making something truly upscale was UNP. They billed it as a lifestyle center, but its architecture and construction materials make it look like any run of the mill large strip mall. After looking there where else is there to look really if you're a Whole Foods. It's really quite sad what could have been and what is.

not a shot at you .. per say ...

but the part of UNP that has been developed was NEVER called a lifestyle center ..... the lifestyle portion of UNP was always to come later ..

[Questor]

not a shot at you .. per say ...

but the part of UNP that has been developed was NEVER called a lifestyle center ..... the lifestyle portion of UNP was always to come later ..

That's not correct. When UNP was pitched, it was constantly billed as the entire thing, even from the initial PUD, being high-quality development. Phases have always been a part of this, but it was never planned that Phase 1's quality of material composition be lower than other components of UNP.

From June 22, 2005, President Boren's comments to the City Council about the proposed UNP. With respect to the area near Robinson, he talks about gateway arches, an elevated clock tower, serpentine roads, and elegant design. He compares the whole thing, from the very beginning, to Utica Square. We did end up with the curvy street:

http://normantranscript.com/local/x5...rsity-Park-TIF

"The first phase would be a 280-acre Planned Unity Development or PUD, with the center portion in a Main Street/University Commons type style. A clock tower would anchor the center, with fountains, statues and lush landscaping creating pedestrian-friendly spaces around small boutique-type stores.

"A serpentine drive at about 24th Street NE would wind through the middle of the development.

"'We're looking at the clock tower for a vertical element,' said Randy Stone, group manager for Carter-Burgess Architecture, saying it would be the destination point in the development and be visible from the interstate.

"Gateway arches similar to those at OU and other university-like elements would welcome visitors to the area, Boren said.

"'Something that has a beauty to it,' he said, saying that improving the area helps the university as well."

And here's the developer's pitch to the TIF Committee. They directly compare the development to Desert Ridge Marketplace in Phoenix. Tell me that anything in UNP looks anything remotely like that or ever will:

http://normantranscript.com/local/x5...rs-master-plan

Here's the developer talking about how UNP, not phase 1 or phase 2, just UNP in general, needs to have a sense of place on par with developments in KC and Dallas. I'm sorry, but nothing I have seen in UNP even approaches that:

http://normantranscript.com/local/x5...s-to-TIF-group

"Some of the restaurants on his target list included P.F. Chang's China Bistro, Fleming's Steak House, Wolfgang Puck's Express and the Cheesecake Factory.

"A portion of the long list of retailers to be targeted includes Talbot's, LL Bean, Banana Republic, Joseph A. Banks, Victoria's Secret, JoAnn Fabrics, Dick's Sporting Goods, Comp USA, Apple Computers, Whole Foods Marketplace, Dean and Deluca, Restoration Hardware, Harry and David, Sharper Image, Ethan Allen, Bombay, Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel."

[Questor]

Right here is the plan where they refer to the current development as a "lifestyle center." They have all the store development lumped under that heading. From 2006:

http://normantranscript.com/local/x5...an-recommended


If you go out and get a copy of the master plan, the "lifestyle center" was originally supposed to be part of Phase 1. It was designated Phase 1B. 1A was roads and infrastructure and a few things like that. What keeps happening is the developer keeps going to the council and keeps getting relief... over and over again. Either that or you're telling me we're still in Phase 1A. Either way it's horrible.

At this point the true lifestyle center is probably out at some theoretical phase 47. People shouldn't put up with that. And you know what, regardless of what phase the 'true' lifestyle center was supposed to begin it, it is very clear from reading through the above that the entire development was supposed to be high quality construction... just with varying levels of retail. I don't feel like they've delivered on any of that.

Anyway, I've just remembered this isn't the UNP thread so I will end my rant now.

[MDot]

If they're going into the late, great Paris of the Midwest (Detroit), then they should go into Norman by gosh.

They're also building one in Jackson, MS.

[Garin]

1-bag and 100 bucks later , you can keep your whole foods all to yourselves Nichols Hills. Dumbest thing I've ever done in my lifewas trying that place out.

[Pete]

Anyway, I've just remembered this isn't the UNP thread so I will end my rant now.

In complete fairness, that center was coming on-line just as the national economy went into meltdown and retailers were consolidating and going out of business right and left.

They had to shape the development around the tenants they could get.

I'm very sure they wanted a different type of development as well, but in retail development, timing is everything.

[JuJuBeans]

I love how so many businesses have been opening up in Moore. I also love Whole Foods and hope it comes to Moore. I have many food intolerances and allergies and find that WF's has a better selection than any other market for organic, fresh, and gluten free foods. My husband even loves WF's and he doesn't care about health and nutrition at all.

[Pete]

$525,000 building permit today to remodel Whole Foods.

Not sure what is changing, but half a million is a bunch of money for a store that is already finished out.

Perhaps they are adding a new section of some sort?

[Pete]

It said building remodel.

[HangryHippo]

You think it might have something to do with opening the back side up for a view of the river they redid?

[okieinindy]

Anyone else hearing Trader Joe's rumors to Nichols Hill Plaza?