View Full Version : Whole foods coming to nichols hills near chesapeake?



JOHNINSOKC
07-15-2009, 03:27 PM
I've heard rumors that a Whole Foods is about to be announced near Chesapeake. Has anyone else heard about this?

metro
07-15-2009, 03:54 PM
Yes, see the other Whole Foods threads and Classen Curve thread.

soonerguru
07-15-2009, 04:25 PM
metro,

No offense, but those threads have meandered in many different directions. Is this anything beyond a rumor? I keep hearing it over and over myself but I've seen nothing to validate it.

progressiveboy
07-15-2009, 05:01 PM
metro,

No offense, but those threads have meandered in many different directions. Is this anything beyond a rumor? I keep hearing it over and over myself but I've seen nothing to validate it. Agree. Anything else to substantiate the rumors??

Pete
07-15-2009, 05:17 PM
Where would it possibly go?

Not enough room at Classen Curve. Wouldn't put them in NH Plaza due to Cresent Market.

Spartan
07-15-2009, 07:22 PM
There are still Chesapeake development in the pipeline.

Pete
07-15-2009, 07:29 PM
Such as????

stlokc
07-15-2009, 07:36 PM
I don't mean to be a jerk or a skeptic, but this thread represents what must be the tenth variation of this "rumor" that has surfaced on this site in the last year or two. I want to see a Whole Foods in OKC as much as anybody but I wish that people who have heard things would either give us more detail or refrain from simply throwing out such vague questions. JohnInsOKC, I want to give credence to your question in my own mind -from whom did you hear this rumor and does it represent concrete information or wishful thinking?

Spartan
07-15-2009, 08:32 PM
Such as????

A mixed use village off of NW 59th Street is still in the works, they're still planning a facelift for Nichols Hills Plaza (good or bad, you decide), and if they can ever get their stock price back up they may bring in someone to plan a massive mixed-use development east of their HQ. Right now it makes no sense to be getting in the development business when their stock is in the toilet compared to where it was 3 years ago; luckily Chesapeake is doing a lot better than most energy companies.

Sorry I didn't mean to be elusive. I don't know anything beyond ^ and I have no Chesapeake source, just going out of what I've heard in Nichols Hills, which is probably not the best source considering most of them aren't too pleased lol.

Personally, and despite all of the developments I know are planned, I doubt Whole Foods is coming to Oklahoma, although that will almost certainly change after the recession. That is just my opinion though. It's just a waiting game at this point, thanks to the economic conditions beyond our state.

Pete
07-15-2009, 08:57 PM
CHK owns literally hundreds of properties around their HQ and beyond, so they obviously have development plans for the future.

But given the state of the economy, their stock price and the slow going at CC, I seriously doubt they will be building more retail space in the near future.

metro
07-16-2009, 07:52 AM
Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road. I've heard from some pretty reputable sources that are in with the Chesapeake crowd and they have been hearing it's almost a done deal. I trust these people, but not necessarily Chesapeake, but am hoping for the best. I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

Pete
07-16-2009, 08:29 AM
I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

Do you mean the former site of the Kensington Apartments?

LakeEffect
07-16-2009, 04:39 PM
Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road.

Woah there, settle down. :) Whole Foods may already be here, but only because they bought an existing store, not as part of their own store expansion program...

progressiveboy
07-16-2009, 05:09 PM
I notice on the WF website that Little Rock has a WF. I wonder if this was due to expansion of the WF chain or if there was a Wild Oats prior and WF converted it? I think it is rather odd that LR would have a WF as it is a much smaller metropolis than OKC? Just kinda wondering?

Midtowner
07-16-2009, 05:11 PM
Damn you people get worked up over a grocery store chain which you might shop at a couple times per year if it locates here. Settle down. In the meantime, I checked out Crescent Market recently.. by far the best meats in town. Highly recommended.

Also, their cheese selection is amazing.

Luke
07-16-2009, 05:32 PM
Are there any health food stores in the Mid-Del area?

greatdane
07-16-2009, 05:47 PM
I love Whole Foods. We were in one in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. We would definately shop there if one comes our way.

Spartan
07-16-2009, 06:06 PM
Luke, I don't think so. The closest is probably the Health Food Center on I-240.


Spartan, You do realize Whole Foods ALREADY IS in Oklahoma? I've also talked to their management and they said OKC is on the list for 2-3 years down the road. I've heard from some pretty reputable sources that are in with the Chesapeake crowd and they have been hearing it's almost a done deal. I trust these people, but not necessarily Chesapeake, but am hoping for the best. I would see it on Grand Ave., just north of Classen Curve, where they recently tore down a building and have plenty of land.

Metro, stop making a joke of yourself. The "Whole Foods" in "Brookside" is a joke. Go there and you'll see. It's not even in Brookside, it wasn't even a very nice Wild Oats, and now it doesn't even hold a candle to most Whole Foods stores.

Unfortunately I'm nowhere near as privy to everything you are, metro. Oh how I wish I had as much inside knowledge as the "reputable sources who have said Whole Foods will be here soon" for the last 5 years. Wal-Mart tried to make a play in downtown, and I wish they hadn't been shunned. Realistically, that would have been great for downtown, even if bad for getting the eventual Whole Foods location to be downtown instead of in Edmond.

metro
07-16-2009, 09:44 PM
Spartan, I shop at the WF in Tulsa about every month or so. I am very familiar with it. They recently expanded it as well. I know it doesn't hold a candle to other WF's, I've been to several. BUT SADLY even the one in Tulsa is better than anything we have in OKC at present, that is the point. Sounds like you're starting to go back to your "Sooner&Rice Grad" days.

soonerguru
07-16-2009, 10:55 PM
Wal-Mart tried to make a play in downtown, and I wish they hadn't been shunned. Realistically, that would have been great for downtown, even if bad for getting the eventual Whole Foods location to be downtown instead of in Edmond.

Dear God. We have 21 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the Metro. Do you honestly believe this would have been good for downtown, or the city as a whole?

I'm becoming convinced that one of the reasons we're not attracting upscale grocers here is that the perception of this market is that we will only shop at Wal-Mart or discount chains.

Wal-Mart is a dump and it would have ensured we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown.

Oil Capital
07-17-2009, 07:26 AM
Dear God. We have 21 Wal-Mart Supercenters in the Metro. Do you honestly believe this would have been good for downtown, or the city as a whole?

I'm becoming convinced that one of the reasons we're not attracting upscale grocers here is that the perception of this market is that we will only shop at Wal-Mart or discount chains.

Wal-Mart is a dump and it would have ensured we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown.

If Wal-Mart is really such a horrible dump, it's a little hard to see how it would ensure we would never get any kind of specialty grocer downtown. ;-)

BG918
07-17-2009, 08:30 AM
Metro, stop making a joke of yourself. The "Whole Foods" in "Brookside" is a joke. Go there and you'll see. It's not even in Brookside, it wasn't even a very nice Wild Oats, and now it doesn't even hold a candle to most Whole Foods stores.

The building Whole Foods occupies in Tulsa has been around for a long time, I remember it being a Bud's Family Foods up until the mid 90's and then it became Oklahoma's only Wild Oats and eventually Whole Foods when Wild Oats was bought out. It's only slightly smaller than some of the "new" Whole Food's I've been to in other cities and may seem "not as nice" just because it's an older store that they renovated instead of a new building like most of their stores.

foodiefan
07-17-2009, 09:46 AM
Just a couple of thoughts:
Midtowner: "Damn you people get worked up over a grocery store chain which you might shop at a couple times per year if it locates here. Settle down". Not sure on what you based your opinion of MY shopping habbits, but it would certainly be more than twice a year. . .more like twice a week. And you're right about Crescent. . .a delightful place to shop. . .I'm in there at least once a week. But, it you want to tout cheese selection, head over to Med Deli. . .check out the signage on the wall ( no, wait. . .don't. . .it's crowed enough for us regulars as it is. . .)

Spartan: Re: WF in "Brookside". Most Tulsa people (and some of them LIVE in Brookside) I know don't have a problem with the Brookside designation . .maybe it's not technically in Brookside . . . but if not, it's close enough to spit. It certainly is not one of their "flagship" but it is FAR from "a joke". It's all we have in Oklahoma right now, and when I'm in Tulsa, I for one, intend to support them.

foodiefan
07-17-2009, 11:42 AM
. . . and. . .the liquor store right around the corner manages to make the best of our rotten liquor situation!!:kicking:

Shake2005
07-17-2009, 01:06 PM
If you go to the Tulsa Whole Foods for shopping, you should also check out the Center 1 Market in Brookside (34th St) and Allen's Gourmet Grocery also in Brookside (at about 46th), they are really good stores as well.

Those size grocery stores, maybe 5,000 - 10,000 square feet would work in Classen Curve.

foodiefan
07-17-2009, 01:50 PM
Shake2005. . those are GREAT places as well!! Petty's Fine Foods in Utica is a trip as well!! I was so focused on the WF thing that I forgot to mention those. Center 1 is the place for Farrell Family bread if I don't make the trek to 81st and Yale. Farrell's supplies some of their product to OKC via Crescent and Akins (under the Akins brand, but you can tell it's Farrell), but it's limited to 3 or 4 kinds and . . no cookies (maccaroons are to die for. . .). Look at their web site and see what they make. . . stupendous goodies!! Even on the rare occasions I don't make WF. . .I ALWAYS hit Farrell's.

JerzeeGrlinOKC
07-18-2009, 07:31 AM
I'm becoming convinced that one of the reasons we're not attracting upscale grocers here is that the perception of this market is that we will only shop at Wal-Mart or discount chains.

I really do think this is true. Most of our friends will only shop for food at Walmart under this perception that it is by far the cheapest place around (which is false), and will only buy food that is the cheapest regardless of quality or selection, because they view food as a monthly bill to be minimized rather than life sustenance.


But, it you want to tout cheese selection, head over to Med Deli. . .check out the signage on the wall ( no, wait. . .don't. . .it's crowed enough for us regulars as it is. . .)

Gotta agree about the crowds. Whenever we go, it takes us like a half an hour to get through the line (which is all bunched up and winding its way out the door) because they have two people working back there and hand-calculators instead of a cash register. Plus I get overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong I love Med Deli. But honestly I like just having a cheese bin with wrapped cheeses that I can put in my cart and move along.

I think nice food should also be convenient in a city of this size. I, like many working people (and I don't even have kids!) have too many things to do during the day but enjoy eating well at home. Which brings me to a final point that a store like WF that vends a broad selection of gourmet and organic food, including fresh meat and fish, fresh produce that doesn't rot after a day, gourmet cheeses, ethnic foods, prepared foods (including hot bars and salad bars, etc), etc, conveniently (come in, grab a cart, stroll around, check out), is open all weekend and after working hours, is not a smelly warehouse-looking dive, without one having to make 20 trips around the metro is a needed service around here.

Here's hoping Classen Curve, or somewhere, gets some sort of convenient all-inclusive upscale grocery store. Gotta keep clamoring or it certainly won't happen.

OKCisOK4me
07-18-2009, 09:01 AM
Maybe if Whole Foods came here, it might deter "The Biggest Loser" tryouts from showing up here. Then again, I'm sure Houston has a Whole Foods and they have just as many big boned peeps or more!

bluedogok
07-18-2009, 09:16 AM
I think an independent Chelsea Market type of place could be better than a Whole Foods. That could be done by independents just co-locating in the same area and/or someone marketing their property to a bunch of the local vendors.

foodiefan
07-18-2009, 01:46 PM
JerzeeGrlinOKC. . . .Clamor, clamor, clamor. . . .

BG918
07-19-2009, 03:58 PM
. . . and. . .the liquor store right around the corner manages to make the best of our rotten liquor situation!!:kicking:

Very true, you have a traditional large grocery in Food Pyramid and then a liquor store and Whole Foods all right next to each other.

froggiluv
07-20-2009, 09:10 PM
Why oh why can we not have something like Trader Joe's or Kroger? I really have no idea, does anyone know why?

phinzup
07-23-2009, 01:25 PM
In the meantime, I checked out Crescent Market recently.. by far the best meats in town. Highly recommended.

Also, their cheese selection is amazing.

Good meats....yes.....But hardly "by far the best meats in town"....

Several conventional grocery stores around town carry Angus Prime.....as well as the few strictly "meat market" stores around town.

And besides the Crescent prices are WAY out of line with the same item prices in other stores...Crescent Market is an OK place to shop if you have money to burn.

Ever seen the cheese selection at the Mediterranean Deli on North May?