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Whole Foods Market Opens Its First Nebraska Store

Posted on: Tuesday, 20 September 2005, 15:01 CDT

Sep. 20--Omahans who want organic cheese, Anasazi beans and beef that is free of antibiotics and growth hormones have a new place to shop.

Nebraska's first Whole Foods Market will have those products and more when it opens at 9 a.m. Wednesday at 10020 Regency Circle, former site of the Burlington Coat Factory.

People given tours Monday got a glimpse of the store's wines, cheeses, frozen foods and dairy products. More than 50 varieties of seafood and shellfish were not in place Monday because they will be fresh, flown in six days a week, said Ryan Puckett, a spokesman for Whole Foods.

"Some of it is still swimming in the ocean," Puckett said.

Food samples will be given out at Wednesday's grand opening, and there will be live music, face painting and balloon artists. The first 500 shoppers Wednesday through Sunday will receive free Whole Foods Market Omaha tote bags. Some opening week events will last through the weekend.

After Wednesday, hours at the store will be 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. The store will employ about 150 people, most of them full time.

Tom Marciniak, the store manager, said the Whole Foods company has grown large enough that its buying power can make natural and organic foods affordable.

The company all but gutted the former clothing store, replacing the flooring but retaining the wood ceiling. The store will feature grocery, pet food, health and beauty items that are grown or prepared without pesticides, additives, preservatives or artificial flavors and colors. The store will have an espresso bar, a deli with made-to-order sushi, rotisserie chicken, cold salads and hot meals.

Similar natural and organic grocery and convenience foods can be found at Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, which has Omaha stores at 225 N. 170th St. and 7801 Dodge St.

Shoppers recently at Wild Oats on Dodge Street said they would visit Whole Foods, as well.

"It's a good alternative," said Karen Cudmore, a horse trainer who does most of her shopping at Wild Oats. "Competition is good."

Cudmore had filled her grocery cart with bagels, dairy products, chicken and fruit. Prices for some items are more expensive than at traditional grocery stores, but the nutritional value is better at Wild Oats, Cudmore said.

"Most of this stuff is organic," Cudmore said. "It's just a healthy choice."

Cathy Carroll, an activities director at a long term care facility, said she also shops at traditional grocery stores but goes to Wild Oats for organic produce, eggs, soy products and some fish and meat. She planned to check out Whole Foods.

"I like products that are organic and raised responsibly and produced responsibly for the environment," Carroll said.

Based in Boulder, Colo., Wild Oats has been in Omaha since 2001, and the company is not nervous about the new Whole Foods store, spokeswoman Sonja Tuitele said. Markets for the two national companies often overlap, and in this case, the chains will be drawing customers from different neighborhoods, Tuitele said.

Whole Foods' Puckett said Wild Oats is a major competitor, but his company considers anywhere groceries are sold to be competition.

"We believe competition is good for any company," Puckett said, "and in our case, it provides another reason to strive for excellence while increasing awareness of organic and natural foods."

Whole Foods was founded in Austin, Texas, in 1980. It has grown from one store with a staff of 19 to more than 170 stores with more than 35,000 employees in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Wild Oats was founded in 1987 in Boulder. It has more than 110 stores across the country and in Canada.

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WFMI, BCF, OATS,

Source: Omaha World-Herald

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