Jessica Moe

So, I was out doing a little Christmas shopping when I realized that it was getting late and I really needed to go to the grocery store and pick up a few things.  I was really bummed that my regular grocery store was pretty far away and during rush hour especially, it’s a bit of a haul. I reluctantly settled on going into the Whole Foods next door with the determination that I was just going to pick up a few things.

Now, I have to say that–in all honesty–I have always had a bit of a…I don’t know what you would call it…a “fear” maybe of this ginormous store that proclaims to be “organic” and “green” and all these fancy fadtabulous words.  Generally speaking you find them strategically placed in big cities where there are relatively few competitors and complicated (albeit free) parking structures.

Their general lack of any real competition allows them to be as overpriced as a convenience store, and where that fails them…they plaster “organic” all over the place to explain their five dollar half-gallon milk.  Ok, yes, I know organic milk is more expensive…but there is plenty of hormone-free milk at the regular grocery store that doesn’t require you actually buying stock in a cattle farm.

Ok, look…before I complain too much let me first say that there are a lot of pluses to this place…I will grant that.  There is an abundant produce department and a wide variety of international type food options, not to mention lots of brands for people with food allergies–things that aren’t readily available at many markets. So, it’s not all bad.

My major “beef” with this place is the generally pretentious aptmosphere.  I mean, for the love of all that is holy…it’s a GROCERY store….but, these people seem to want to think that they work in the trendiest new jazz club/coffee bar/world market ever invented.  The aisles are oddly laid out, and really cramped….seemgingly in an attempt to “buck the system” of the larger, more spacious grocery stores.  The lighting is dim, accented by the dark brown…well, dark brown everything, really…and the really silly choice of placing a “wine bar” and “tea station” just adds to the pretentiousness of this store….really? a wine bar?

I think the thing that gets my goat the most is that this place puts itself out there as the healthy food store option and it is likely that the prices and the culture of Whole Foods will alienate a lot of people who want to make healthy lifestyle choices but quickly realize that they can’t afford the price at the checkout stand or they will find that even if they can afford to pay that conformity to a certain standard seems to be a “must”. 

Well, I know this isn’t much of a post. I am pretty tired, I have had quite a long day….but my bottom line in this is that I will stick with my friendly neighborhood farmers market and leave Whole Foods to the people who want to pay big money to make themselves believe they are doing an ultimate good by their family and the environment…when the same can be done for much less “green” on a smaller level of “production”.