Whole Foods plans three new Austin stores (Mart, China: houses, tenants)

[FueledByBlueBell]

Gateway vs. Domain- its a tough call but the Domain is worse. I like some of the places in there but almost refused to go because it is so out of the way and impossible to get in and out. What a mistake that place is.

Thank goodness WF is coming to Bee Cave as Newflower is a mess. They have bad service (we are talking long lines at one open register while the other registers at sitting empty) and really bad prepared foods. Yuck.

[orbius]

Originally Posted by FueledByBlueBell

Gateway vs. Domain- its a tough call but the Domain is worse. I like some of the places in there but almost refused to go because it is so out of the way and impossible to get in and out. What a mistake that place is.

Thank goodness WF is coming to Bee Cave as Newflower is a mess. They have bad service (we are talking long lines at one open register while the other registers at sitting empty) and really bad prepared foods. Yuck.

Havent had that experience at Newflower at all. A lot of their house brand stuff is pretty good in my experience and a lot more inexpensive than WF. Never had a problem like you describe but even if you have to wait the amount you save compared to WF is worth it in my opinion.

[TexasHorseLady]

I agree that WF moving to the Domain likely means I won't be shopping there any longer. WAY harder to deal with Domain traffic than Gateway traffic (and I agree that Gateway traffic isn't ideal, but it only took driving around the Domain a couple of times to convince me I didn't need to shop there - used to shop at Borders a LOT before they moved to the Domain, but twice was it and I've not been back, so they've lost at least one customer with that move).

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Wow, this is kind of unexpected. Despite being based in Austin, Whole Foods hasn't opened a new store here in many, many years. There was a planned store in the Domain, but that was a replacement for the existing Gateway location. Come to think of it, the DT location was a replacement too.. so there has been no "new" WF stores in Austin for like 15 years.

Whole Foods plans three new Austin stores | Statesman.com (http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/wholefoods/entries/2010/08/03/whole_foods_reports_continued.html?srcTrk=RTR_7299 19 - broken link)

And it comes on the heels of a bunch of new natural food stores opening, like Sprouts and Newflower. Plus Sun Harvest remodeled their stores. I wonder what they are thinking over at WF.

I love Whole Foods because they use a lot of the local growers. Sprouts does not from what I understand.

[calel]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Are you sure it's going to be a real Central Market, or a Central Market/HEB hybrid like the one they opened in Westlake? I go to the one in Westlake a lot, and it's not like a real CM, even though it's got the cafe and a lot of the brands. It's basically laid out like a regular HEB and (thankfully) carries most of the regular HEB merchandise (read: cheap) instead of just the CM stuff.

I was never so annoyed when HEB chickened out on a Central Market in The Woodlands (which neighbors my parents' town) and opened up one of those CM/HEB Plus hybrids. It was basically an HEB Plus without the furniture and electronics.

Good to hear that they're putting in one around 4 Points (which is only 5 mi away from me ). I just hope they plan on putting it far enough way from that intersection for easy access. That 4 Points shopping center is a nightmare to me.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Are you sure it's going to be a real Central Market, or a Central Market/HEB hybrid like the one they opened in Westlake? I go to the one in Westlake a lot, and it's not like a real CM, even though it's got the cafe and a lot of the brands. It's basically laid out like a regular HEB and (thankfully) carries most of the regular HEB merchandise (read: cheap) instead of just the CM stuff.

From what I understand, it will be real CM. There is already an HEB pretty much right across the street (which they just expanded).

[calel]

Did a little digging. It's a planned development called the Trails at 620, in that empty land next to Home Depot. It's being compared to the Central Park shopping center, which features a Central Market and all that park space around it, but I'm not sure the plans currently include a Central Market.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by calel

I was never so annoyed when HEB chickened out on a Central Market in The Woodlands (which neighbors my parents' town) and opened up one of those CM/HEB Plus hybrids. It was basically an HEB Plus without the furniture and electronics

The one in Westlake is nothing like an HEB Plus (I guess it was too small), but it's definitely nothing like a Central Market either. It's just like a nicer version of the HEB on Far West, but with a CM deli/cafe instead of the Kosher Deli. And slightly bigger aisles. I'm disappointed it's not a real CM, but if it was I'd probably be shopping at Randalls on Bee Caves for most of my "regular" groceries.

It's a bummer to hear that Sprouts doesn't use much local stuff, because I've been shopping there a lot. The specials they run on produce and meat sometimes are very, very good (but only the specials). And the wine prices are excellent, cheaper than Specs.

[calel]

And the wine prices are excellent, cheaper than Specs.

Sprouts is admittedly how I keep my wine rack stocked. They had some Lindemann's for ~$3 at one point. You serve that after the first bottle of good wine and no one really notices. Or put it in Sangria.

[CarnivalGal]

Originally Posted by calel

Did a little digging. It's a planned development called the Trails at 620, in that empty land next to Home Depot. It's being compared to the Central Park shopping center, which features a Central Market and all that park space around it, but I'm not sure the plans currently include a Central Market.

That's it. I can't say for sure, but as I mentioned the Four Points News reported that a movie theater and Central Market had already been confirmed.