Take a look at the NBN archives and you’ll find more than a few stories covering the impact of Whole Foods opening up in what was then, Wild Oats territory. Louisville and West Hartford were the most obvious examples of what WFM was doing right and Wild Oats doing wrong.
Examples of what WFM was doing right and Wild Oats doing wrong.
The tables have turned at least in Westport, Connecticut. This time its the opening of the family owned 80-plus outlet Fresh Market store in Westport that has left Whole Foods a lot less busy.
We visited both stores Saturday October 24 three days after Fresh Market opened a mile or so down the streets from Whole Foods. Regular readers know that planned renovations for the very oddly configured Whole Foods have been delayed, and delayed and delayed.
Whole Foods Westport has looked like one of the shabbier Safeway Lifestyle stores since its opening and in this richest of towns where the many German import driving elite aren’t easily impressed, NBN expects Fresh Market to take more than a pound of organic hormone free fresh from WFM this holiday season.
Back when the took over from Wild Oats, we were impressed. But nearly two years later its an indication of how much trouble Whole Foods is having after the acquisition. Of course as long as America’s conventional grocers remain as exciting as a sleeping grandmother, they might not have too much to worry about just yet.
See our initial story on the Westport store here.