Whole Foods Market Will be the New Grocery In Loveland – Exciting or No?
Lovelanders have been wanting and needing a new grocery store on the east side of town for years. If proposed plans go through, we'll have... Whole Foods.
Is it one of those "be careful what you ask for.." things or is it the best possible outcome Loveland could have hoped for? Would a Safeway or King Soopers had been a better choice, or is Whole Foods Market "on point?'
The first Whole Foods Market opened in 1980, in Austin, Texas. It was one just a few natural food supermarkets in the country. They actually began a couple of years earlier as "SaferWay," which does sound like a "dig" to Safeway. Today, they are in 44 states with over 500 stores. It looks like they are penciling in Loveland, Colorado, to be one of the newest locations.
It was in mid January of 2023, that McWhinney announced their plans for "Centerra South" in east Loveland. Part of those proposed plans included "a grocery store;" though they didn't say whom. As part of the Loveland City Council meeting on January 24, 2023, McWhinney announced that Whole Foods Market would be the grocery store going into the development.
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Now, this all really comes down to if the planned "Centerra South" goes through and begins to get off the ground; but it does tie into how Whole Foods' CEO announced a new 10-year expansion plan in January of 2023. It does look like this is going to happen. Loveland will be getting a Whole Foods, but will Loveland be "welcoming" a Whole Foods?
WHY NOT WHOLE FOODS?
- Most people have called Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck" for decades. It does run a little more to shop there, that's for sure.
- Amazon. Did you know/recall how Whole Foods is owned by Amazon? Maybe you feel the Bezos empire is getting enough of your money.
- Snootiness. Maybe you're of the feel that Whole Foods comes across as "elitist" and "snooty."
- Boulder-ish. Does the idea of a Whole Foods Market in Loveland make you feel like the town is leaning towards looking like Boulder?
WHY WHOLE FOODS WILL BE GOOD
- It's been noted that having a Whole Foods in your area will increase your property value. That's a good thing (aside from tax time.)
- With Whole Foods coming to Loveland, that will make three natural food stores in town: Sprouts, Natural Grocers and Whole Foods. You'd hope that the competition, we'll see competitive prices.
- There will be a part of the Loveland population that will definitely travel to Whole Foods to shop, making it easier to shop at the Safeway and King Soopers stores in town.
What do you think? "Yay" or "Nay" on Whole Foods coming to Loveland? You can give us your thoughts by messaging us with our station's app.