View Finder: Whole Foods Market Open for Business

There’s something about that new store look and smell that makes you want to grab a cart and go on a shopping spree.

Whole Foods Market, just opened at 350 Grasmere Avenue, should inspire that, though shoppers on a recent weekday afternoon seemed to be treading cautiously, getting the lay of the land and going light on purchases. Patch noticed a lot of price checking, curious inspection and targeted item selection. Whether shoppers would commit to the store in the longterm remained to be seen, but one thing was for sure – the market puts on a good face.

The atmosphere was bright, signs readable and products accessible. Coffee flanked desserts, desserts abutted bakery items, they in turn aligned with pizza and paninis, and so on down the line. The cheese shop was stocked with artisanal varieties, breads were fresh and organic, the fruit and vegetables looked highly inviting, and seafood and meats seemed to call out “grill me, grill me” from behind their glass display cases.

Both indoor and outdoor eating areas encouraged shoppers to stay a while to visit with their neighbors while cashiers extended a warm hello. And if it was a quick bite of a hot dog or burger you wanted, a promotional truck stood in the parking lot ready to take your order.

Welcome Whole Foods.