Whole Foods Opens ‘Market Hall’ Store in California

OAKLAND, Calif. — Whole Foods Market is scheduled to open what it described as a first-of-its-kind “market hall”-format store here today, in which shoppers can access all departments in a single loop. “It will not resemble a typical supermarket, or even other Whole Foods Market stores around the country,” the Austin, Texas-based company said in a prepared release. The design, the company added, “was inspired by several international market halls from around the globe, including ones in Berlin; Granville Island, Vancouver; and Portland, Maine.” It includes a dine-in venue called Market Bistro and a “Fresh and Wild” station with a juice bar, salads and other offerings. Separately, Whole Foods said it plans to close the original Capers Market location in West Vancouver, British Columbia, according to reports. It is one of four Capers stores in Canada that Whole Foods acquired when it bought Wild Oats. Last week Whole Foods also said it plans to close a Wild Oats in downtown Salt Lake City when a new Whole Foods is completed in late 2009 or early 2010, according to reports.

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