At 9 a.m. this morning a bread-breaking ceremony for Whole Foods
Market will officially introduce the healthy addition to Westwood
Village, welcomed by some and viewed skeptically by others.
The debate over what the organic health food store will bring to
the Village has many sides to it. Some worry about high prices,
others about parking restraints, while many are glad to see a store
that will bring more shoppers and healthy alternatives to
Westwood.
“It was natural for us to pick Westwood. It’s a
great community and I’ve always loved the Village. The
origins of Whole Foods Market started in university towns, so
we’re extremely comfortable in university towns,” said
Michael Besancon, president of Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific
Region.
Although they are located in a university town, Whole Foods will
not specifically target students more than other residents in
Westwood Village. But Whole Foods will accept the BruinCard and
already has posters up on kiosks around campus, Besancon said.
“We will cater to the entire community. There is the
perception that we are elitist, about high prices. But if you need
to shop on a budget, you can come, eat well and not exceed your
budget,” Besancon said.
“Our organic products can be more expensive because it
costs farmers more to produce organic food. But the more people buy
organic food, the more farmers can sell it for less,” said
Marci Frumkin, regional marketing manager for Whole Foods
Market.
Some students are eagerly anticipating the opening of an
all-organic foods store in Westwood Village so they do not have to
search various places for all the different organic foods they
want.
“I’d definitely go to Whole Foods since I buy a lot
of organic foods. It’s easier to go to Whole Foods because
it’s just one stop,” said second-year Santa Monica
College psychology student Erin O’Grady.
Whole Foods is attempting to attract customers with the fact
that their products are all-natural and healthier than products
found elsewhere. But college students dealing with various
university fees may feel as though having extra money in their
pocket is more important than organically-grown food.
“The only reason I’d go there instead of (Ralphs) is
if they had cheaper prices,” said first-year biology student
Laura Muller.
Other students hope the Whole Food’s presence will lower
prices of other markets in Westwood Village.
“I think it’s a good thing that Whole Foods has come
because the competition might make the prices of other markets go
down,” said Maribel Munoz, a third-year medical student.
While the new addition to Westwood Village seems to compete most
directly with Ralphs Market, Store Director Mike Quinones does not
think it will affect them very much, although nothing will be
certain until the next couple weeks.
“We don’t see it as a negative event, and we
aren’t threatened by it. I think we are in a strategically
better location, closer to campus, and our store is twice the size
of theirs, so we have more variety,” Quinones said.
This same competition is causing other businesses in Westwood
Village to become concerned about the effects it will have.
“I personally think it will be a bad thing for us because
we’re focusing on the same (health) concept,” said Ryan
Seol, owner of Farmer’s Kitchen, which offers healthy
“natural” drinks and salads.
Other nearby businesses have expressed hope that Whole
Foods’ recognizable name will increase business on the
street.
“We already have more customers because of them. A lot of
people come in when they get off of work at Whole Foods,”
said Juan Marques, manager of Lamonicas NY Pizza.
Smaller businesses on Gayley are also worried about the lack of
parking on the street, which they fear will be increased by Whole
Foods.
“There were talks before Whole Foods came that the city
would build a parking structure there. But because of Whole Foods
there’s no parking … In my opinion I wish there was a
parking structure instead of Whole Foods,” said Kelly
Aladdin, manager of Elysee Cafe.
Still, other store managers remain optimistic about the new
attention that the area will receive because of Whole Foods
Market.
“I think it’s going to help a lot by increasing the
traffic of the people in Westwood. I’d rather have more
people than parking,” said May Hasso, co-owner of
Monica’s, a clothing store on Broxton.