DULUTH, GA. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
The Duluth store is one of seven such stores in the 189-unit Whole Foods Market system. Launched in late September by the rapidly expanding Austin, Texas-based natural and organic foods grocery chain, the in-store restaurant prototype is being cloned and aggressively developed nationwide, according to published reports that are unconfirmed by the company. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
“I think Whole Foods is impacting the restaurant business in a serious and positive way,” said Bruce McQuain, executive chef at Sia’s, an award-winning fine-dining restaurant not far from the Duluth unit, where McQuain recently led a cooking demonstration. “Their commitment to sustainable agriculture, environmental responsibility, ethical treatment of animals and a respectful workplace are models for any business in our food chain.” —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Noting that Whole Foods hired away one of his cooks to staff its 20-plus-seat seafood and wine bar, McQuain said he and Sia’s owner, Sia Moshk, supported the former employee’s decision to change jobs because restaurants can’t compete with the giant grocer’s attractive hours, wages, quality of life and benefits package. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
“We went to organic and all-natural product two years ago because we believed it was the right thing to do,” McQuain said. “But because of its size, Whole Foods can exert a much greater influence in this direction than any single restaurant.” —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Whole Foods Market’s corporate and store management declined to comment on recent reports concerning the chain’s foodservice ambitions. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
A 60,000-square-foot Whole Foods unit that opened recently in Fairfax, Va., an upscale suburb of Washington, D.C., boasts a 60-seat restaurant that offers full service on the weekend as well as four food and wine bar-style venues that feature everything from sushi to barbecue. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
The new Whole Foods Market in Duluth showcases the brand’s self-service, fresh-food buffet along with extensive displays of packaged prepared foods, all of which can be taken home or eaten in a 60-seat dining area, roughly twice the size of the chain’s traditional self-service meal venue. Complementing these options are a 22-seat seafood bar and a 19-seat trattoria, prototypes where guests are spending on average more than $10 per person, including food and beverage, for such plates as crab cakes with remoulade, steamed mussels in white wine broth, fettuccine Calabrese, grilled chicken pesto and winter ravioli. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
On a recent evening, the seafood bar featured fresh salmon, mahi mahi and rainbow trout prepared any way, with vegetables and rice, for $9.99. Other specials included a Buffalo shrimp po’boy and a coconut-battered shrimp plate. Hot sellers were cioppino with Tuscan toast and fish tacos on house-made tortillas with salsa and slaw for $9.99 and $8.99, respectively. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Three wine selections were Mâcon-Villages Chardonnay at $3.99 a glass, Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages for $3.99 a glass and Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc for $8.99 a glass. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Local industry observers said the seafood bar has been on a positive growth track since the new store opened—experiencing four turns on Friday nights. Unconfirmed reports said the venue’s seating would be expanded for a second time with additional lounge tables. Other recent reports, also unconfirmed, said Whole Foods was seeking larger locations in several selected markets to accommodate the aggressive dining expansion. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
According to the Whole Foods Market website, the chain operates in 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C. There are 40 locations in California, 17 in Massachusetts, 12 in Texas, nine each in Illinois and New Jersey, eight each in Florida and Virginia, and seven each in Georgia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. There are three Canadian locations, in Toronto and Vancouver, with a fourth in development, and six units in the United Kingdom, operating as Whole Foods and Fresh & Wild. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Another 83 Whole Foods units are under development in the United States, including 19 more in California, eight more in Illinois and another six in Texas. Furthermore, the chain is planning to open in eight new states, including Alabama, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Utah and Tennessee. According to the Whole Foods Market philosophy, new stores are opened only after the company secures contracts with local growers. “These are the small organic farmers who’ve been knocking on the back doors of restaurants and fighting for recognition for years,” McQuain said. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Pano Karatassos, founder and chief executive of Atlanta’s 10-unit Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, acknowledged that Whole Foods’ seven Atlanta-area stores are well-positioned to take business from casual, family and fast-casual operators. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Karatassos doubted, however, that Whole Foods could make inroads into fine dining, the segment that logically carries maximum appeal for aspiring chefs. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Yet a growing number of new and experienced chefs have taken consulting, menu development and management positions in the grocery segment in recent years to satisfy their needs for fewer or different hours, according to reports. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
“People can be drawn as much by philosophy as by glamour,” McQuain said. “It matters when you know the organization you work for shares your values, and that has been a big draw for Whole Foods.” —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.
Editor’s note: Hayes filed this story just hours before his death. See the obituary here. —Whole Foods Market, along with a new five-restaurant superstore in Virginia, has debuted a 60,000-square-foot outlet in Duluth, Ga., with two food and wine bar restaurants that operators say bring a new level of sophistication to the war between restaurants and supermarkets.