Whole Foods looking for sites in Jacksonville

[bobliocatt]

Residents petition for Whole Foods Market

The article is about local residents starting a petition to attract a Whole Foods to town, but retailer says its already been searching for sites in Jacksonville. Most want Whole Foods to open a 50,000sf location at the proposed Kings Avenue Station development, which is scheduled to break ground in February. For more info, on the fight to attract one or more Whole Foods to town, visit www.wholefoodsjax.com

[Captain Obvious]

I'm not a huge political supporter of Whole Foods. In my opinion the entire organic foods moment is guilty of playing up a lot of bad science and preying on people's irrational fears. It's guilty of many of the same sins as the holistic medicine industry. In particular, I find the aversion to genetically modified food especially laughable and backward.

However, all that being said ... I still strongly support the notion of a Whole Foods opening in San Marco. The market is clearly there, and any new grocery store is a great thing. As long as the organizers aren't saying, "we want a Whole Foods, and will complain if you try to open a Pulbix."

But I can see why Whole Foods has yet to open in Jax. They are very expesive - often jokingly called "Whole Paycheck." Jax probably doesn't have the average income levels that they'd like to see. Even San Marco, which certainly has the income levels, might not have a large enough total population to attract a luxury grocery chain like that.

Either way, I wish them the best of luck. The Kings Ave. garage development would be perfect for a grocery store.

[RiversideGator]

Captain: I agree. The whole organic craze really is based on pseudo-science. Now, I am not saying that we should all eat a bunch of preservatives or junk food, but vegetables do not need to be grown "organically" to be completely healthy and there is no evidence that genetically engineered foods are bad for humans. Still, I agree that a grocery store would be nice there since it could serve both San Marco and downtown via the skyway. Maybe a Publix though - I think they are more conservative.

[chelleyfl]

I think it's interesting that people would petition for a Whole Foods Market - the chain must be flattered - or maybe that happens all the time to them. It's an awesome store - but pricey of course. Does anyone know of Native Sun? Back in the day I would drive from the Beaches to San Jose every now and then; at the time they had the best selection of organics and whole foods that I could find. Same idea as Whole Foods Market - but smaller. In any case I think the variety of food markets/grocery stores is good - people moving into the area are going to want that.

****

In regard to genetically modified foods - I just can't let that one go without a comment. My aversion to this started with BGH - bovine growth hormone introduced to Florida cows by Monsanto (Monsanto = The Devil in my opinion). So they load these cows with hormones, causing them to get sickly, pus-dripping udders, increased disorders of the uterus, lacerations - all by Monsanto's own reports. The farmers then have to increase the use of antibiotics on the sick cows - the antibiotics also end up in the milk. When humans consume this (esp children) they may be building up immunity to antibiotics. Publix, Albertsons, and other stores originally agreed not to buy gmo milk until the public accepted it more - but years later had to admit the market in Florida is so overrun with BGH cows it's impossible to get any milk free of BGH in the state. To this day I don't drink cow's milk from Florida. And even though Monsanto claims it's completely safe, they don't want anyone to pinpoint where they are using BGH. By the way, most European countries don't use BGH and prohibit BGH milk from the US.

My second big problem with genetically modified foods is the USDA's promotion of 'suicide seeds'. Monsanto is in on this one too - they genetically modify seeds (cotton mostly) so that it's good for only one growing season. If the farmer tries to save the seed from their own crops and plant it next season, it's sterile!! Talk about perversion of nature. The only way to plant from season to season is to buy new seeds every time. Farmers in India have committed suicide over the way this is ruining their way of life and ability to provide for their families. And the only benefit is that it makes money for the multinational corporations who patent these seeds.

I think the backlash from these kinds of practices is making organics and whole foods more appealing to the public. And no one really knows the full health impact of genetically modified foods either. So I again say, the more variety the better. If Monsanto (and other corporations like them) had it their way - we'd all be at their mercy for what we eat and how we grow it. This is not science fiction, they are already making this happen. And if we want to do anything - they just have to cross-contaminate their sterile seeds with the general seed supply and we won't have a choice. This is already happening in India. And even Canada is feeling pressure from the US to approve sterile seeds.

And if THAT wasn't enough - the US corn supply is already contaminated with GMOs that nobody really knows the full consequences of.... I could go on, but I won't. I'll just suffice to say that the more involved people are with who is handling their food, the better. Whole Foods Market is one place where people get this access. They actually tell you about food additives and such, when most grocery store chains accept additives they don't want you to know about.

Sorry for the rant - getting off my soapbox.

[jjoshjl]

Chell..

While I do agree some level of common dignity to the animals should be exersized when using geneticly altered foods, it needs to be kept in mind that anytime you steak, corn, white rice, among many many other items, even form an "organic" food store, you are eating geneticly modified food. Cattle use to be much smaller, corn use to be MUCH smaller and mutli colored, larg yellow corn is a relativly new thing (about 400 years or so). rice is naturally brown. If genetic mutations occur that harm the animals, I am opposed to it, but if no harm comes to the animals, all for it. That though has nothing to do with GM, but more cruelty to animals....

can you tell i think organic food stores are a ripoff?

one of my favorit movie quotes comes form "28 days later"

rows and rows of spoiled fruit in a grocery story, then one basket of perfectly beautiful apples...

the guys simply looks at it and goes... "mmmmmmm Iradiated..."

Genetic modification in a way

(actually, isnt that a homer simpson quote???)

Cheers

[chelleyfl]

Whether people want to buy organics - and how much exists in the market is kind of secondary to my point. Although I hate sterile seeds with a passion - there is NO reason for that beyond corporate greed. It diminishes the food supply. My main point is that people should KNOW what's being done to the food. Whole Foods does that beter than the big chain supermarkets. You walk by the salmon in the counter at Whole Foods- one says dyes added, the other says no dyes added. You have a choice about what you want to pay for. You go to Publix - they don't tell you one way or the other about the additives.

On a personal note -my mother passed away from colon cancer at the ripe old age of 47. *<-- please note tone of bitterness* This is a cancer that mainly results from what you eat (or don't eat). So I've since done quite a bit of homework on the good and bad of organics. Some of it isn't worth paying the extra money - I agree. In my mom's case, there were some foods her doctor recommended she only eat if they were organic (no additives).

FOOD for thought??

P.S. I like Whole Foods Market but I don't think you have to pay those prices for quality food. I'd just as soon take the Farmer's Market.

[Urban_Legend]

Organic or not, I just like Whole Foods for their store design. Publix has caught on to good store design as well.

Anyone have any ideas on how they're going to do parking at this Kings Avenue site? Will JTA change how the garage gates work? Will it be easy to get your shopping cart to your car? Hmmm.... (I'd prefer taking the Skyway to my posh loft near Hemming Plaza! lol)

[Florida]

(I'd prefer taking the Skyway to my posh loft near Hemming Plaza! lol)

LOL!

[Urban_Legend]

^Hey, it could happen...

[DavePaulk]

Urban Legend's wishful thinking triggered a thought in my mind. Why can't the city run the skyway into five points? Aside from getting it under I-95, a line could pretty easily be run down the newly refurbished park street. This would run straight to the prime osborn where there was talk of putting a grand transportation "hub".

Then Urban Legend could go from his posh loft to Five Points to shop for posh clothes, and then go to posh Whole Foods in San Marco to buy some posh organic stuff, without ever setting foot in a car.

[bobliocatt]

Good question. Although it would be nice and would have the potential to pay its self off in the distant future, I assume because its still considered too expensive by most in a city that's mostly car oriented. Nobody would approve spending money to expand the skyway with the city already cutting services, closing the libraries earlier, an over budget courthouse and Peyton offering the Navy $50 million.

[Viper]

A 5 Points stop has been on the drool factor of urbanists for years.

[yesterdayzhere]

A 5 Points stop has been on the drool factor of urbanists for years.

Pipe dream.

And if we're going for a grocery store in the Whole Paycheck price range, let's make it a Fresh Market!

[JaxVidMan]

Good question. Although it would be nice and would have the potential to pay its self off in the distant future, I assume because its still considered too expensive by most in a city that's mostly car oriented. Nobody would approve spending money to expand the skyway with the city already cutting services, closing the libraries earlier, an over budget courthouse and Peyton offering the Navy $50 million.

http://home.comcast.net/~markrgarrett/JaxSkycar.jpg

Could THIS be the answer??? Hmmmmm. Now THAT'S a Skyway!

[asonj23]

^ Great pic VidMan! It could also be a good High Speed Rail substitute.

[Urban_Legend]

Yes, and I'm sure it's quite economical to the taxpayers as well!

[JaxVidMan]

The consumer version is fairly economical...but the rotunda retrofitting that Judge Moran has requested will be quite costly!

[vicupstate]

[Urban_Legend]

Look, it's Judge Fatass!