Whole foods coming to nichols hills near chesapeake?

[JOHNINSOKC]

I've heard rumors that a Whole Foods is about to be announced near Chesapeake. Has anyone else heard about this?

[metro]

Yes, see the other Whole Foods threads and Classen Curve thread.

[soonerguru]

metro,

No offense, but those threads have meandered in many different directions. Is this anything beyond a rumor? I keep hearing it over and over myself but I've seen nothing to validate it.

[progressiveboy]

metro,

No offense, but those threads have meandered in many different directions. Is this anything beyond a rumor? I keep hearing it over and over myself but I've seen nothing to validate it.

Agree. Anything else to substantiate the rumors??

[Pete]

Where would it possibly go?

Not enough room at Classen Curve. Wouldn't put them in NH Plaza due to Cresent Market.

[Spartan]

There are still Chesapeake development in the pipeline.

[Pete]

Such as????

[stlokc]

I don't mean to be a jerk or a skeptic, but this thread represents what must be the tenth variation of this "rumor" that has surfaced on this site in the last year or two. I want to see a Whole Foods in OKC as much as anybody but I wish that people who have heard things would either give us more detail or refrain from simply throwing out such vague questions. JohnInsOKC, I want to give credence to your question in my own mind -from whom did you hear this rumor and does it represent concrete information or wishful thinking?

[Spartan]

Such as????

A mixed use village off of NW 59th Street is still in the works, they're still planning a facelift for Nichols Hills Plaza (good or bad, you decide), and if they can ever get their stock price back up they may bring in someone to plan a massive mixed-use development east of their HQ. Right now it makes no sense to be getting in the development business when their stock is in the toilet compared to where it was 3 years ago; luckily Chesapeake is doing a lot better than most energy companies.

Sorry I didn't mean to be elusive. I don't know anything beyond ^ and I have no Chesapeake source, just going out of what I've heard in Nichols Hills, which is probably not the best source considering most of them aren't too pleased lol.

Personally, and despite all of the developments I know are planned, I doubt Whole Foods is coming to Oklahoma, although that will almost certainly change after the recession. That is just my opinion though. It's just a waiting game at this point, thanks to the economic conditions beyond our state.

[Pete]

CHK owns literally hundreds of properties around their HQ and beyond, so they obviously have development plans for the future.

But given the state of the economy, their stock price and the slow going at CC, I seriously doubt they will be building more retail space in the near future.

[metro]

Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road. I've heard from some pretty reputable sources that are in with the Chesapeake crowd and they have been hearing it's almost a done deal. I trust these people, but not necessarily Chesapeake, but am hoping for the best. I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

[Pete]

I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

Do you mean the former site of the Kensington Apartments?

[LakeEffect]

Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road.

Woah there, settle down. Whole Foods may already be here, but only because they bought an existing store, not as part of their own store expansion program...

[progressiveboy]

I notice on the WF website that Little Rock has a WF. I wonder if this was due to expansion of the WF chain or if there was a Wild Oats prior and WF converted it? I think it is rather odd that LR would have a WF as it is a much smaller metropolis than OKC? Just kinda wondering?

[Midtowner]

Damn you people get worked up over a grocery store chain which you might shop at a couple times per year if it locates here. Settle down. In the meantime, I checked out Crescent Market recently.. by far the best meats in town. Highly recommended.

Also, their cheese selection is amazing.

[Luke]

Are there any health food stores in the Mid-Del area?

[greatdane]

I love Whole Foods. We were in one in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. We would definately shop there if one comes our way.

[Spartan]

Luke, I don't think so. The closest is probably the Health Food Center on I-240.

Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road. I've heard from some pretty reputable sources that are in with the Chesapeake crowd and they have been hearing it's almost a done deal. I trust these people, but not necessarily Chesapeake, but am hoping for the best. I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

Metro, stop making a joke of yourself. The "Whole Foods" in "Brookside" is a joke. Go there and you'll see. It's not even in Brookside, it wasn't even a very nice Wild Oats, and now it doesn't even hold a candle to most Whole Foods stores.

Unfortunately I'm nowhere near as privy to everything you are, metro. Oh how I wish I had as much inside knowledge as the "reputable sources who have said Whole Foods will be here soon" for the last 5 years. Wal-Mart tried to make a play in downtown, and I wish they hadn't been shunned. Realistically, that would have been great for downtown, even if bad for getting the eventual Whole Foods location to be downtown instead of in Edmond.

[metro]

Spartan, I shop at the WF in Tulsa about every month or so. I am very familiar with it. They recently expanded it as well. I know it doesn't hold a candle to other WF's, I've been to several. BUT SADLY even the one in Tulsa is better than anything we have in OKC at present, that is the point. Sounds like you're starting to go back to your "Sooner&Rice Grad" days.

[soonerguru]

Wal-Mart tried to make a play in downtown, and I wish they hadn't been shunned. Realistically, that would have been great for downtown, even if bad for getting the eventual Whole Foods location to be downtown instead of in Edmond.

Dear God. We have 21 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the Metro. Do you honestly believe this would have been good for downtown, or the city as a whole?

I'm becoming convinced that one of the reasons we're not attracting upscale grocers here is that the perception of this market is that we will only shop at Wal-Mart or discount chains.

Wal-Mart is a dump and it would have ensured we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown.

[Oil Capital]

Dear God. We have 21 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the Metro. Do you honestly believe this would have been good for downtown, or the city as a whole?

I'm becoming convinced that one of the reasons we're not attracting upscale grocers here is that the perception of this market is that we will only shop at Wal-Mart or discount chains.

Wal-Mart is a dump and it would have ensured we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown.

If Wal-Mart is really such a horrible dump, it's a little hard to see how it would ensure we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown. ;-)

[BG918]

Metro, stop making a joke of yourself. The "Whole Foods" in "Brookside" is a joke. Go there and you'll see. It's not even in Brookside, it wasn't even a very nice Wild Oats, and now it doesn't even hold a candle to most Whole Foods stores.

The building Whole Foods occupies in Tulsa has been around for a long time, I remember it being a Bud's Family Foods up until the mid 90's and then it became Oklahoma's only Wild Oats and eventually Whole Foods when Wild Oats was bought out. It's only slightly smaller than some of the "new" Whole Food's I've been to in other cities and may seem "not as nice" just because it's an older store that they renovated instead of a new building like most of their stores.

[foodiefan]

Just a couple of thoughts:
Midtowner: "Damn you people get worked up over a grocery store chain which you might shop at a couple times per year if it locates here. Settle down". Not sure on what you based your opinion of MY shopping habbits, but it would certainly be more than twice a year. . .more like twice a week. And you're right about Crescent. . .a delightful place to shop. . .I'm in there at least once a week. But, it you want to tout cheese selection, head over to Med Deli. . .check out the signage on the wall ( no, wait. . .don't. . .it's crowed enough for us regulars as it is. . .)

Spartan: Re: WF in "Brookside". Most Tulsa people (and some of them LIVE in Brookside) I know don't have a problem with the Brookside designation . .maybe it's not technically in Brookside . . . but if not, it's close enough to spit. It certainly is not one of their "flagship" but it is FAR from "a joke". It's all we have in Oklahoma right now, and when I'm in Tulsa, I for one, intend to support them.

[foodiefan]

. . . and. . .the liquor store right around the corner manages to make the best of our rotten liquor situation!!

[Shake2005]

If you go to the Tulsa Whole Foods for shopping, you should also check out the Center 1 Market in Brookside (34th St) and Allen's Gourmet Grocery also in Brookside (at about 46th), they are really good stores as well.

Those size grocery stores, maybe 5,000 - 10,000 square feet would work in Classen Curve.