The Examiner reports that the Potrero Hill Whole Foods is scheduled to open this summer, and will have 100 dedicated parking places.
One neighborhood business which will surely be affected is the Good Life Grocery on 20th St, which has been on the Hill since 1974.
Several customers, particularly those online, have lamented that the new arrival may worsen business substantially. But Good Life President Lester Zeidman said he still sees opportunity, though he expects sales to dip initially after Whole Foods opens this summer. He recently upgraded his store’s refrigeration, widened the aisles and began bringing in new products.
“We believe right now that people are shopping at multiple locations. We’re not their single source,” Zeidman said. “We believe that will continue. I’m sure they’ll succeed, but I think we’ll succeed as well. We’re a neighborhood serving business, and we’re employee owned.”
• Potrero Hill gets Whole Foods [ The Examiner ]
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Being half-way up the hill is a good advantage for Good Life.
As long as I’m going down the hill I’d probably head to Rainbow Grocery rather than Whole Foods anyhow.
Good Life is the best. In and out with everything you need in 10 or 15 minutes - maybe less. See your friends and support a business that’s been a friend to the neighborhood for a long long time. Whole Foods is good, too, and will do fine. But, not the same. I like the 100 parking spaces, though. That’ll help their business a lot.
We’ll still walk up to Good Life since I wouldn’t want to drive the 6-7 blocks to fight for a parking space at Whole Foods. Too far to walk with groceries and too insane to drive 6-7 blocks.
What’s the worry? If everybody who’s been shopping at Good Life keeps shopping there, business should do just fine. If those people decide to shop elsewhere, that’s called freedom of choice and competitive markets.
Plent of folks will come from bernal, mission and Noe who don’t want to drive to 4th street.
Thank you Jerry Springer. For those of you loyal to that store, just stay. For myself, I’m welcoming Whole Foods Market to the neighborhood. I can walk 5 blocks and buy stuff there every day if I like. I don’t have to shop for a few or week or a month. I’ll be walking five blocks, have my two tote-bags and shop. Also, Whole Foods has hot/ready food to go. I’m so busy with my two jobs that sometimes I can’t really cook all the time. I’m all for the small business guy but, convenience is what I like.
I think both stores will thrive, and I plan to go to both for different reasons and occasions. The deli food at Whole Foods is hard to beat, and from time to time I need an ingredeint that can’t be found at Good Life. But for everything else I plan to continue to go to Good Life. It is hassle free shopping for those of us who need to get a few items on an almost daily basis.
The new Whole foods Market will be opening September 12th! Woohoo!!
It’s good to have choices. I believe both markets will thrive. Most folks shop in a number of stores — although I avoid Safeway — for various items. Vive la difference!
–Ugobugo