Inside the Bread: Whole Foods to Open New Location in Wellesley

Whole Foods Market is set to open its new location in Wellesley on Monday - just one day after closing their 5,900 square foot location at 278 Washington St that's been open since 1980. The new store will offer 26,000 square feet of grocery goodness and perhaps more importantly, over 200 parking spaces.

After touring the new location as finishing touches were being applied this week I have a feeling Whole Foods loyalists will be pleased with the new location. And the store will likely attract shoppers who previously shopped primarily at conventional grocery stores. More on this in a moment, but first a little background about Whole Foods.

Bread & Circus

To understand Whole Foods' presence in the region we need to understand the history of the Bread & Circus chain they acquired in 1992. Whole Foods has grown through a combination of acquisition and organic growth - no pun intended - and Bread & Circus was one of their earliest purchases. Although the brand was retired long ago, stores in the region still pay homage to their Bread & Circus heritage. One of the first things I spotted in the new store was this stencil above the produce area:


The first Bread & Circus opened in Brookline in 1975. The Wellesley location opened in 1980 and over the years a total of six Bread & Circus stores operated in the region. They were somewhat similar to green line T stations in that they were situated in little pockets in neighborhoods as friendly little markets.


CEO: John Mackey

To understand Whole Foods you have to understand John Mackey. To understand Mackey you need to read two articles:

From around 2000 to 2005 I was a Whole Foods shareholder. I liked to invest in companies I was impressed with and each time I visited a Whole Foods location I saw long checkout lines and outstanding overall execution. Kind of like Chipotle these days.

Yahoo! Finance message boards were big at that time and I remember being impressed with the postings of  one the forum's consistent contributors, "rahodeb". Rahodeb would bust out compound annual growth rate statistics (CAGR) and familiarity with Whole Foods expansion plans with incredible clarity and accuracy. Here's an example of a typical posting - someone should really compile these into a book. When someone would question whether Wal-Mart's expansion into organics would threaten Whole Foods, Rahodeb would fire back that it was instead Wal-Mart that should be concerned about Whole Foods. Rahodeb would spar just enough with "liberfar" and "hog152" to make you think they were a regular message board nut job meanwhile planting seeds of doubt if you should be so foolish as to short Whole Foods stock.

It turned out Rahodeb was none other than Whole Foods CEO John Mackey. Rahodeb was an anagram for his wife Deborah. Looking back I'm glad Mackey's identity was revealed. I'd developed an inferiority complex over my inability to delve into the details of a company the way Rahodeb did and it actually made me feel better when I learned it was the CEO posting anonymously.

Still a Good Investment?


The chart above shows the performance of Whole Foods Market stock (WFM) over the past 20 years. Their largest acquisition - of Wild Oats in 2007 - came right before a precipitous dip 2009. But the stock has bounced back remarkably well.

Is it a good time to buy Whole Foods stock? I think it depends on their ability to continue growing - both in terms of same store sales and in terms of new locations. When viewed through this lens it becomes clear why they'd move to this new, larger location. How could they possibly eek any more dollars out of the old location? The place was bursting at the seams and had to be constantly restocked.

Competition

When Wellesley-based Roche Bros moved to its snazzy new location across Linden Street, it demonstrated that a modern supermarket could indeed be shoehorned into landlocked Wellesley. I doubt Roche Bros had much direct impact on Whole Foods, but the disparity in spaciousness between the two stores become glaringly obvious. One would have to think Whole Foods real estate management had this in mind when the opportunity to move into the site formerly inhabited by Star Market presented itself.

Star Market's departure was mostly unlamented (the situation with Tian Fu kicked up far more controversy) and by displacing another store there is one less grocery store in town. But I've always felt like Whole Foods main national competitor is Trader Joe's. With locations in Needham and Framingham Trader Joe's would make a lot of people happy by opening in the space Whole Foods will vacate. I've heard rumblings it may be just as likely to become a Panera Bread.

Perhaps the real competitor hasn't arrived yet. Rochester New York-based Wegman's regularly appears near the top of Fortune's Best Places to Work list and is planning to open in Northborough, MA in October with rumors of additional stores in Westwood and Burlington over the next couple years.

I've always felt Whole Foods was uniquely positioned. Yes they have a lot of organic and natural foods but they sell food that's flat out delicious while maintaining standards I haven't seen other grocery stores come near matching. They've always said "It's about Whole Foods, not Holy Foods" (link).

Some might say it's more like "Whole Paycheck" but in my experience if you like the product assortment at Whole Foods their prices are as good or better than other stores.

New Wellesley Store Photo Tour

The main store entrance places you squarely in front of the produce section. It was 5 days before store opening so perishable items hadn't been stocked yet:


Just behind the produce is the seafood section - soon to be stocked with fresh catches from Pigeon Cove.

Behind Seafood is the Butcher Shop. I learned that the unique signage you see in Whole Foods locations are custom made for each location.

The location mixes rough-sawn signage with polished concrete floors. Very cool.

Dry aged steaks make their first appearance at a Whole Foods in Wellesley.

The cheese section is large as a percentage of the square footage of the store. It offers a combination of pre-packaged and hand-cut gourmet cheeses in an alcove similar to one at their Dedham location.

Baked breads are available as well as fresh-made pizzas available by the slice or whole pie to take out.

Coffee - just one part of one tiny aisle in the old location - finally gets respectable treatment:

A special feature near the adjacent little league fields is a take-out counter offering refreshments, gelato and coffee. Taking advantage of the store's adjacent to the ballfield location. Nice.

Here's what the take-out counter will look like from the outside:

Next to the take-out counter is a community room where cooking demonstrations will take place:

Whole Foods are starting to become more like restaurants than grocery stores. The prepared foods section is massive as a percentage of the store. I'm particularly looking forward to the burritos made to order...and the free Wi-Fi.


The salad bar/hot foods section looks to be as large as those found in larger Whole Foods locations.

Will The Old Location be Missed?

I have a feeling we'll look back on the old location much like we do the Bread & Circus brand: With nostalgia. But overall we'll be pleased with the changes. It was sometimes nice to be able to buzz through the tiny store and pick up things in a hurry. But when the store was crowded it was nearly impossible to navigate. Parking was challenging. Feast your eyes on all this beautiful free parking:


Although the new location isn't huge (26,000 square feet compared to around 60,000 at their Dedham location) the aisles are relatively wide. Kiddie carts are set to be available - another Wellesley Whole Foods first:


A small kids play area is near the registers and, I presume, where some tables are soon going to be for shoppers to eat prepared foods.


Conclusion

The opening of the Wellesley Whole Foods Market has been highly anticipated. I think people are really going to like it. If you haven't shopped at Whole Foods in the past I'd encourage you to give it a try. As I toured the store I got the sense I'll enjoy shopping here with my family for years to come. It's a nice space they've created and I'm looking forward to seeing the store with its shelves fully stocked and staffed.

The store is offering a sneak preview this Friday, August 19th, 2011 from 8 am to 6 pm. Click here for more information.

They're also holding a "bread breaking" ceremony at 7:30 am right before their 8:00 am grand opening on Monday August 22nd, 2011. The first 500 shoppers get a reusable Whole Foods shopping bag. More info on their website.

Wellesley doesn't allow wine to be sold at retail. Even if the town did allow it, the state currently allows a maximum three liquor licenses per retailer. Check here for a list of grocery stores in MA that do sell wine. 

Check 'em Out:
Whole Foods Market Wellesley
442 Washington Street
Wellesley, MA
Hours: 7 am - 10 pm daily (except holidays)
@wfmwellesley
On Facebook

Further Reading from Casa Dwyer:
A Fresh Look at Wellesley's Whole Foods Market


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Do you speak my language?

I noticed a really interesting new tool on Facebook today, and I’m not often impressed by Facebook at the moment. It appears that when a Page (not a User Profile) posts an update to their wall, readers will see an option appearing below offering a translation. [I'm not entirely sure how it decides this, but [...]

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Tasting Report: 2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir

The winning streak continues around here for California Pinot Noir with the 2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir. I've been hearing good things about Failla (pronounced FAY-la) from a number of friends so when Wine Spectator dropped a big 95-point rating ("Classic") on this one the hunt was on.

We were able to track some down before things got too out of hand and I'm pleased to report the wine delivered. Kind of like when Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green said the Bears "are who we thought they were" (). Well, maybe not just like that but the point I'm trying to make is I had high expectations and the wine delivered in a big way.

Here are my notes... 

2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
$45 Release Price
13.9% Alcohol
 550 Cases Produced

Another one of these California Pinot Noirs that charms with it's fruit-forward aromatics and ultimately satisfies for how clean and free of "off" notes it is. Pure. Something for everyone I think, with aromas of tart cherries, orange oil, and soft leather. Well balanced. Silky smooth on the palate with a beautiful finish without any strange aftertastes. Fantastic stuff.

Cellar Tracker
Wine-Searcher 

93/100 WWP: Outstadning 

Bottom Line

It might be hard to find this particular bottling but I'd definitely be interested in seeking out other Pinot Noirs from Failla. Especially the 2009s. 

Check 'em out:
Failla Website
@faillawines

I'm compiling some thoughts and tasting notes for 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir (what the heck happened to that vintage?) and 2009 California Pinot Noir. Especially if you're interested in domestic Pinot Noir I'd love it if you subscribed to the site so we can keep in touch. 

Question of the Day: Have you tasted Failla's wines? What did you think? What have you heard?


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Branding Tip: Gravatar

A big part of branding is consistency: making sure that when you leave comments and links around  the web, you do it in a way that creates a trail of similar information. When we consult new wineries who want to get online, we tell them to make a special folder that they keep on their [...]

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A community of wine lovers and friends at the EWBC

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A Little Competition Never Hurts!

That’s right – it’s time. The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition begins tomorrow. Nearly 100 international judges, more than 3,000 international wines. Who will take the gold? Keep coming back to find out more information about the 3-day event and watch for judges to be blogging and twittering in between judging!

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Soft Cell Sophia Bush Stacy Keibler Summer Altice

Tasting Report: 25 2009 California Pinot Noirs

I didn't set out to taste through so many 2009 California Pinot Noirs. Rather, it happened naturally as I enjoyed so many of the early bottles I tried and continued as I explored bottlings from new and familiar producers. At some points it felt like I couldn't miss with this vintage. In the $40-$60 range there are some amazing wines available.

But there are also some tremendous values in the $20-$30 range, and even south of $20 if you look hard enough.

I probably exerted equal effort tracking down and trying 2008 Oregon Pinot Noirs, but you haven't seen a post from me on that vintage. If I did write about it, the headline would probably be "Whatever happened to 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir?" For me, it's been an eye-opening experience that solidifies California as a more reliable place to buy Pinot Noir.

But that's just my palate talking. There are some great Pinots produced in both regions and I'll look forward to continuing the search.

Have a look at the ratings below and click through to read community tasting notes on CellarTracker. To find them at a retailer near you, click the Wine-Searcher link on CellarTracker.

And feel free to drop me an email at wellesleywinepress@gmail.com if you think I might be of assistance tracking these down.

  • 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas Vineyard - $44 - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (8/1/2011)
    Hard to think of a more delicious wine than this. It brings the same rich, plush satisfaction of the 2008 but (at this point) balances it out a bit with a layer of brighter flavors on initial attack. Behind this are the same slightly-sweet spice notes, cherry pipe tobacco, and enjoyable fruit flavors found in the prior vintage. Dangerously difficult to stop drinking. Highly recommended - back up the truck. Read more... (95 points WWP)
  • 2009 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - $52 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (7/1/2011)
    CA Pinot Perfection. (95 points WWP)
  • 2009 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/20/2011)
    Drank this bottle with great friends after an afternoon of golf. A really beautiful wine but I didn't geek out and analyze it so no formal tasting notes.
    Also tasted at Wine Spectator's Grand Tour stop in Boston. I think this wine is every bit as good as the Sonoma Coast. (95 points WWP)
  • 2009 Failla (Failla Jordan) Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch - $45 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/6/2011)
    Another one of these California Pinot Noirs that charms with it's fruit-forward aromatics and ultimately satisfies for how clean and free of "off" notes it is. Pure. Something for everyone I think, with aromas of tart cherries, orange oil, and soft leather. Well balanced. Silky smooth on the palate with a beautiful finish without any strange aftertastes. Fantastic stuff. Read more... (93 points WWP)
  • 2009 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest - $42 - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley (8/28/2011)
    Another beautiful 09 California Pinot Noir. Rich black cherries and slightly sweet spice backed by earth and minerality. Love it. (93 points WWP)
  • 2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Pinot Noir Rebecca?s Vineyard - $37 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (4/17/2011)
    Fresh and lively with a real sense of place. You can taste the Russian River Valley in this wine. On the nose I get fresh cut strawberries and hints of a moderate oak regiment that reveals itself as a friendly Vanilla Coke sort of thing. Really nice. On the palate, it charms with generous fruit and signature Pinot Noir herbaceousness. Long finish.
    Beautiful wine. I really like it. (92 points WWP)
  • 2009 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands - $29 - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (7/10/2011)
    A powerful and focused wine with classic California Pinot Noir markings. It's generously fruit-forward with primarily black cherry notes but refrains from straying into over-ripe territory - at least for my palate. It finishes clean with just the slightest bit of heat on the backend. Overall an outstanding wine. Read more... (92 points WWP)
  • 2009 Chasseur Pinot Noir Sonoma County - $30 - USA, California, Sonoma County (6/1/2011)
    Dark in color, almost Cab-like. Cherry candy fruit on the nose along with tobacco leaf that emerges with some air. Rich mouth feel. May dominate food but on its own it's a beauty.
    Fresh fruit. Reminded me Crane Orchard's cold storage of fresh produce in Fennville, Michigan. For that alone this wine curries favor with me but that aside I think it's still an outstanding wine. (91-92 points WWP)
  • 2009 Zepaltas Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - $29 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (7/9/2011)
    Perfectly ripe sweet cherries and pipe tobacco on the nose. Ultra-soft mouthfeel. A little CA Pinot twang with rich fruit flavors on the palate. I sense low acidity levels and hardly any tannins. I enjoyed it. (92 points WWP)
  • 2009 Joseph Swan Vineyards Pinot Noir Cuvée de Trois - $29 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/18/2011)
    Classic CA Pinot Noir. Really nice. A little cloudy and it actually threw a little silty sediment. I don't think I'll be in a hurry to drink these. Mentally budgeting myself to one per 6 months but I bet I'll be lucky to avoid the temptation of opening one a month. Really like the style here. A producer to get to know better. (91 points WWP)
  • 2009 Banshee Pinot Noir - $20- USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (3/26/2011)
    I read a lot of tasting notes saying how a wine really opened up after an hour our two. You're about to read another one of those.
    I bought quite a bit of this wine so when I first opened it I was a little disappointed. It was a little tight, tart, and awkward. But after sipping on it over the course of an evening it really developed beautifully. The aromas and flavors get darker and and richer over time. Some slightly silty tannins in the background.
    All in all I think it's great now and all indications are it would improve from just a little bottle age. Nothing crazy - just a year or two. If you want to drink it now, I'd recommend trying a sip, decanting or aerating, or saving a good portion of the bottle for the next night.
    What was remaining in the bottle the 2nd day was very good which is unusual for a domestic Pinot Noir and a good indication this needs a little time. (90-91 points WWP)
  • 2009 Balletto Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Bottled - $24 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/20/2011)
    Rich but not overripe. Black cherry and cola notes. A little rough around the edges but there's so much right here it's hard not to love. Really nice wine. Read more... (90 points WWP)
  • 2009 Michael Pozzan Winery Pinot Noir Annabella Special Selection - $14 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (12/1/2010)
    After an ever-so-slight step backwards in 2008, I think this 2009 Annabella is back on track as a solid 90 point Pinot Noir. Combine that with its wide availability in the $12 range and I think this deserves a slot in the rotation of anyone who likes fruit-forward domestic Pinot Noir.
    Medium-dark in color and ready to go immediately upon opening. Aromas of pomegranates, cranberries, dark cherries, and dusty fresh blackberries in a briar patch. The initial attack is straight fruit. Silky tannins and it finishes clean with a hint of earth and slight tartness which balances out its otherwise fruity nature.
    This wine is money and if you don't like it your opinion is false. Just kidding, but kind of not kidding. I drink Pinot Noir more than any other variety and I'm convinced this wine would fool a lot of people blind, hanging with $30-$50 Pinot Noir. Noticeably better than the 08. On par with the 07.
    Highly recommended. One of the best Pinot Noirs I've found in this price range the past year. (90 points WWP)
  • 2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - $39 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (5/20/2011)
    So much good stuff going on here but a slightly herbal "off" note bit me on almost every sip. An otherwise pretty wine - would like to try other bottlings from this producer. (90 points WWP)
  • 2009 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Meiomi - $22 - USA, California (2/2/2011)
    I was very interested to try the 09 vintage of this wine after thoroughly enjoying the 08 (92 pts across a half-dozen bottles). The signature sweet spice is still there but I also get ample chimney smoke at Christmas. It's a little unusual - we'll see whether I sense it in future bottles. But I still think this is a solid wine. Will buy more for sure. (89 points WWP)
  • 2009 Rickshaw Pinot Noir Sonoma County - $16 - USA, California, Sonoma County (2/12/2011)
    The wine is nicely transparent visually but clings to the glass due to its 14.6% alcohol and high viscosity. The nose lacks some markers that would otherwise tip its hand as being Pinot Noir when tasted blind, but in its place it there is ample round fruit and a hint of spice. Really pleases with root beer flavors on the palate on top of supporting round fruit. Some acidity. Hard not to like this. 90 points if you're in the mood for a relaxing vacation in southern California, significantly lower if you'd rather be reading a book about Burgundy on a cold winter night. (89 points WWP)
  • 2009 Sean Minor Pinot Noir Four Bears - $18 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros (2/2/2011)
    A luscious, fruit-forward CA Pinot Noir. A great value at around $15. (86-88 points WWP)
  • 2009 Capiaux Cellars Pinot Noir Chimera - $28 - USA, California, Sonoma County (6/28/2011)
    Disappointingly dour personality. Lacks richness you'd think would come with the color and replaces it with a peculiar bitter finish. (87 points WWP)
  • 2009 Siduri Pinot Noir Russian River Valley - $29 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (2/28/2011)
    I'm a little disappointed with this wine. A little over-ripe and hot at points. Something in the flavor profile feels a little off to me, but still - an enjoyable bottle overall. (87 points WWP)
  • 2009 Sebastopol Hills Pinot Noir - $9.99 - USA, California, Sonoma County (5/12/2011)
    My bottle lists the ABV at 13.8%.
    It's only 20-30% opaque which bodes well for it behaving like a Pinot Noir. On the nose I get ample fruit, herbal tea, and a tangy (signature?) California Pinot Noir note.
    On the palate it's classic domestic Pinot Noir with strawberry flavors, silky smooth texture, and hardly any tannic bite. Doesn't get overly fruity but it's satisfyingly flavorful.
    Bottom line: This is legit Pinot Noir for $9.99. The only thing lacking is acidity and perhaps some minerality. But it scores points for what it *doesn't* have: I didn't detect any off-putting aromas or flavors.
    Well done and a value at $9.99. (87 points WWP)
  • 2009 Byron Pinot Noir - $16 - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (12/22/2010)
    A 90 point nose but for me it was downhill from there. Still, a nice wine in an attractive package. Might buy again in the $13 range. (86 points WWP)
  • 2009 Our Cellars Pinot Noir Hamilton-Steven's - $8.99 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (3/30/2011)
    Hard to argue with an $8.99 RRV Pinot Noir, and this one fights above its weight class. Unfortunately it's got rough edges the first night and runs a little hot at points. The second night it's softer but the fruit has faded as well. That said you can do a lot worse for $8.99 in this category. (84 points WWP)
  • 2009 Beringer Vineyards Pinot Noir Founders' Estate - $9 - USA, California (12/9/2010)
    A little bashful upon opening, but after just a little time it delivers round candied fruit backed by vanilla. Scores points for revealing a variety of aromas as it evolves. However, it lacks acidity, depth, and length of finish so it's hard to be taken seriously. But as a daily drinker it may deserve consideration in your line-up. At least once. (84 points WWP)
  • 2009 Caretaker Wines Pinot Noir - $9.99 - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley (4/6/2011)
    A pretty nice nose, but too many bitter off notes on the palate to make it worth buying again. (83 points WWP)
  • 2009 Banshee Pinot Noir - $20 - USA, California, Sonoma County (11/27/2010)
    So young it practically tastes unfinished to me. Won't open another bottle for a year. (NR)
Posted from CellarTracker

Okay, I hope you enjoyed 2009 California Pinot Noir week here on the WWP. 
Next up: 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape! Are they as good as the 2007s?

Subscribe to the WWP so we can continue the conversation.


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Sineann?s Peter Rosback?a Jack of Many Vineyards

Peter Rosback is one of the most well-known and well-respected winemakers in the Pacific Northwest. Rosback got his start in winemaking in 1985 as a home winemaker experimenting with Pinot Noir. In 1986, he began making Old Vine Zinfandel from The Pines Vineyard. Rosback entered the wine business commercially in 1994 when he and David [...]

Sineann?s Peter Rosback?a Jack of Many Vineyards was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

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Mia Kirshner Mía Maestro Michael Michele Michelle Behennah