Largest Whole Foods in Chicago comes to South Loop area 

By Hayley Carlton 

The new Whole Foods Market at 1101 S. Canal St. held a sneak preview for community members and the media on Aug. 6. More than 300 people packed the store to check out the largest Whole Foods in Chicago. Free food and a steel drum band provided a festive atmosphere.

            Like most Whole Foods, the 55,000 square foot Canal Street store has a cheese department, fresh seafood section, and produce department full of organic fruits and vegetables. Unlike most Whole Foods, however, it also offers a smoothie department with at least five freshly squeezed juices and an area where shoppers can buy a glass of wine. An in-house meat smoker provides shoppers with briskets, sausages, dry-aged beef, snack sticks, and jerky made in the store.

            “The produce department will include locally grown and city-grown items,” said David Rosenberg, regional marketing director. “There will be signs stating where an item was grown.”

            The store also features a salad bar, sushi bar, noodle bar, and in-house bakery. Separate sections for hot prepared foods and cold prepared foods make it easy to grab tonight’s dinner.

            The store includes private label items such as 365, which promises everyday low prices. Rosenberg said the store is trying to get away from its reputation for having some expensive foods, noting consumers can buy a cut of beef that costs $5 or a cut of beef that costs $22. "Also, our bulk foods are a great way for consumers to save money,” he said.

            A special area for cooking classes exemplifies Whole Foods’ approach of tailoring each store to the area in which it is located, said spokesperson Kate Klotz. The Canal Street store caters to families, and the cooking classes will reflect that, Klotz explained. For instance, some classes will be targeted to children, such as a class for kids ages six and older that teaches them how to make healthful lunches.

            Management is trying to make the building the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified grocery store in Chicago. Among its environmentally beneficial features are fixtures to reduce water use by 30%, recycled steel and aluminum, tile that includes 50% post-consumer waste, recycled barn wood in the produce department that comes from old fences that would have wound up in landfills or burn piles, and bathroom countertops made from reused materials.

            The Canal Street store officially opened Aug. 8 and included an appearance by 2nd Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti. Officials broke a loaf of bread to celebrate the store opening.