New Whole Foods Market opens Tuesday on North Side

Offers all natural options for shoppers

SAN ANTONIOA new Whole Foods Market location opens Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. in the Vineyard shopping center at Blanco Road and Loop 1604.

It was all hands on deck Monday as teams prepared the store for its grand opening, which will be celebrated with a "bread breaking" instead of a ribbon cutting.

Mariachi Melodias De Mexico and the Reagan High School Drum Line and Spirit Band will also be there to perform.

Free coffee and reusable shopping bags will be given to early bird customers.

Whole Foods' mission is to satisfy customers' appetite for healthy eating.

"We don't do anything artificial," said Rebecca Scofield, Whole Foods media and community relations coordinator. "No artificial preservatives, flavorings, colors. We don't do hydrogenated oil and no high-fructose corn syrup."

The store features an in-house smoker for meats and seafood, fresh wheat or whole wheat tortillas made daily and several prepared food options.

"We've got made-to-order tacos and burritos all day long," said Scofield. "A sushi bar, pizza bar, salads, hot bar, cold bar."

The new location also touts a touch-screen feature that allows customers to browse and print recipes, look at a digital store map and shop for foods to satisfy certain dietary needs, like gluten-free options or low-calorie foods.

And then there's "Bar Blanco." That's where shoppers can stop to get a beer or a glass of wine and take it with them while they browse.

Whole Foods has a second location in the Quarry Market.

Meanwhile, Trader Joe's, another specialty grocer, will open its doors across the street at the Quarry Village on Basse Road on Oct. 19.

Trader Joe's is known for organic, environmentally-friendly and gourmet food choices.


About the Author:

Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains. She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.