Starting today, the Whole Foods Market (WFM) at 4420 Willard Avenue NW opens its brand spanking new, gourmet delicacy-revealing doors to the public. This latest addition to The Shops at Wisconsin Place and the Whole Foods Market chain is twice as large as the current shop on River Road and, as experienced in yesterday’s blogger preview, brings new and innovative offerings to the area and highlights local growers, products and farmers.
According to my tour guide Ellen James, Whole Foods defines the term “local” as any location within one day’s drive of the store. That means the truck needs to leave and return to the store within 24 hours. So we’re reasonably talking PA, MD, DC, VA, DE, and WV. If you really pushed it, perhaps NC, NJ, NY, etc. but WF knows that’s pushing it.
Throughout the tour it was clear that deep thought and local area market research went in to the design of this facility and hot sauce store. Not only will you find the traditional WF staples (salad bar, global cuisine bar, olive bar, meat counter, cheese shop, fish monger, soup station, etc.) but some additions and features specific to our regional palates. Continue reading