EMERYVILLE, Calif. (Sept. 16, 2010) – Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) is thrilled to announce that it will open its second Santa Rosa store, in the Coddingtown Mall, Wednesday, September 22, at 10 a.m. Santa Rosa Mayor Susan Gorin and Whole Foods Market store leadership will be on hand for a commemorative bread-breaking ceremony at 9:45 a.m., which involves cutting the traditional eight-foot long sourdough loaf and welcoming shoppers into the store. Additionally, loan checks will be presented to Rohnert Park’s Grindstone Bakery and Petaluma’s Lydia’s Organics, the latest recipients of Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program (LPLP).
Santa Rosa residents are invited to the “Whole Foods Market Big Time Barbeque Bash” on Sunday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event is an outdoor barbeque featuring fun for the entire family including a delicious selection of meat and seafood on the grill, live music and an opportunity to meet local ranchers and attend workshops to learn everything from buying, cutting and marinating meat.
“Whole Foods Market is excited to be part of the town’s revitalization and to support the business community by featuring local products in our store,” said Wes Walston, store team leader, Whole Foods Market Coddingtown. “We're also committed to giving back to the neighborhood through our Nickels for Non-Profits Program, Community Giving Days and by providing healthy eating education. Furthermore, we hope to serve as a community center and gathering place where customers can attend classes, take store tours, attend events as well as sit and sample a few beers with friends in our new Tap Room.”
The new, 49,700-square-foot store is conveniently located off the 101 freeway and easily accessible to customers living west of the freeway as well as neighboring communities including Windsor and Healdsburg. Unique features of the new store include a one-of-a-kind Tap Room – constructed almost entirely from locally salvaged wood – that features 16 beers on tap including a local selection and hard-to-find beer; a Health Starts Here® Lecture Center that will serve as both a Health Starts Here education center for Whole Foods Market customers as well as a gathering place for local Santa Rosa organizations; products from more than 125 Sonoma county producers and farmers; an expanded organic bulk section featuring everything from whole grains and healthy snacks to bath and body care and a commitment to educating customers on Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value® items.
Décor elements include natural lighting provided by two large skylights; polished concrete flooring; locally sourced hand-fired tiles made from highly-recycled materials and soffits (the underside of any construction element) made from locally salvaged old growth redwood and wainscoting. Green store design elements include Glycol refrigeration system; cool, reflective roof and glass dairy doors with motion activated LED lights.
Highlights that Santa Rosa/Coddingtown Whole Foods Market shoppers can look forward to enjoying include:
- Local Tap Room – customers will be able to enjoy 16 beers on tap including a great local selection and hard-to-find beer in a charming, rustic tap room located within the store. Local beers on tap include Lagunitas IPA and seasonal beer, Sierra Nevada Jack and Ken’s, Iron Springs Oatmeal Stout and Moonlight Brewing. Additionally, approximately 350 beers will be available in the store for purchase which customers are welcome to consume in the Tap Room. Customers will need to be at least 21 years of age to enter the room and be required to show proof of age upon entrance.
- Health Starts Here Lecture Center – an intimate classroom-style layout that seats up to 20 people will serve as both a venue for Whole Foods Market Health Starts Here lectures on healthy eating as well as be open to Santa Rosa civic groups and non-profit organizations that need occasional meeting space.
- Local Vendors – a wide range of products from more than 125 Sonoma county producers and farmers will be featured including Crumb Hither baked goods; Rawk Me Organics raw, vegan, organic ice cream; Mateo Granados’ line of Mayan habanero sauces; Primavera tortilla chips, salsa, hand-made tortillas and tamales; Alexander Valley Gourmet™ pickles; Café Gratitude raw foods to go; Harvest Time spring rolls; The Hummus Guy hummus, dips and spreads; Gipson’s Golden honey; Artisan Bakers baked goods; Full Circle Baking Company baked goods; Salmon Creek Ranch pasture-raised organic duck eggs; Vibranz Kombucha; St. Benoît Yogurt and yogurt cheese; McClelland’s Dairy organic European-style butter; Dry Creek Peach & Produce and Quetzal Farms produce; Devoto Gardens flowers; Two Rock Valley cheese; Coast Roast Coffee, Taylor Maid and Ecco Caffé organic coffee and Bohemian Creamery Italian-style cheeses.
- Local Producer Loan Program – also featured will be baked goods from Rohnert Park’s Grindstone Bakery and raw, vegan organic foods from Lydia’s Organics – Whole Foods Market’s latest LPLP recipients. For more information, please visit (wholefoodsmarket.com/values/local-producer-loan-program.php).
- Meat – special offerings include super-local Panorama organic, grass-fed and grass-finished beef sourced from ranches in Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties and Country Natural grain-finished beef from cattle that spend their entire life on pasture. Also available will be locally-raised lamb from Pozzi Lamb Growers in Sonoma and Marin counties, Petaluma Poultry and Field to Family air-chilled chicken. The store offers the best-tasting, freshest and highest-quality meat available that is carefully raised without antibiotics or added growth hormones.
- Artisan Bakery – featuring Whole Foods Market Artisan Hearth Breads (made with organic flour), baked fresh daily along with an array of delectable items from area bakeries including Crumb Hither’s mini cupcakes. Unique to this store, the bakery will also be using spent grain (grains left over from the beer brewing process) from the Russian River Brewery to create tasty, breads which will change based on seasonal beers. All breads feature a distinct nutty flavor reminiscent of the beer that is brewed from the same grains. To start, one bread variety will be featured at a time.
- Prepared Foods – featuring an extensive selection of foods made by a team of talented, in-house chefs. Specialties include a daily selection of house-made soups, extensive organic salad bar, Italian-style brick oven pizzas and a full-service burrito bar. A wonderful array of healthful and tasty lunch options also will be available on a daily basis including a variety of nutrient-rich items like quinoa, brown rice and kale.
- Kombucha – Kombucha Botanica’s Healthy Living Tonic™ will be available on tap.
- Seafood – a vast array of fresh and frozen selections, as well as all the marinades, sauces, seasonings and herbs to complete a meal with seafood as the centerpiece. Local fish will also be sourced from The Tides in Bodega Bay. Whole Foods Market also offers a selection of sustainable seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.
- Coffee Bar – fresh-brewed coffee daily from Allegro®.
- Nut Butters – four grind-your-own nut butters including organic peanut, honey peanut, chocolate peanut and almond.
- Bulk Section – a large, organically focused bulk department that will feature a variety of bulk bins brimming with legumes, grains, flours, and nuts as well as olive oil, honey, maple syrup and tamari. Also featured will be a “Build Your Own” snack mix bar which features same-priced cartons customers can customize as well as a Whole Body Bulk Bodycare area where customers can refill shampoos, soap and lotions, to name a few. Special to this store will be a new, local bulk line of organic beauty products by Petaluma’s MoonEssence.
- In-Store Dining – the store features a cozy eating venue inside the store. Customers can also purchase food to enjoy in the Tap Room.
- Store Tours –the store will offer shopping tours tailored to special diets such as gluten-free living and store tours for moms, as well tours themed for how to shop on a budget. Private tours can be arranged by request for organizations such as schools and senior centers.
- Health, Wellness & Food – Whole Foods Market works hard to stay on top of food and health issues and to educate its customers on healthy eating. To bring this concept to life, the store will offer regular store tours, talks and demos with trained Team Members, local health practitioners, cookbook authors and chefs.
- Whole Foods Market Community Giving Days — at least four times a year, Whole Foods Market sets aside a day on which five percent of the day's net sales is contributed to a local 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The next Community Giving Day will be held on Oct. 26 to benefit the Organic Farming Research Foundation.
- Nickels for Nonprofits – when customers bring in their own bags for groceries they have the option of receiving a five-cent refund (per bag) or donating the money to a selected charity, (three organizations are selected each quarter). The inaugural slate of recipient non-profits is Anova Special Education School and ReThink Your Drink Campaign.
- Donations Out the Back – perishable products that aren’t sold during the day are donated to those in need. Whole Foods Market Santa Rosa is proud to work with Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sonoma County's largest hunger-relief organization, which acquires food and distributes it in Sonoma County through its own food assistance programs.
- Kid’s Club – children ages 2 through 8 are eligible to be Kid’s Club members. Membership cards allow each member to receive one free Kid’s Club treat each time they visit the store.
The Whole Foods Market Santa Rosa store on Yulupa Avenue will continue to serve local residents.
Store Information Whole Foods Market Santa Rosa – Coddingtown 390 Coddingtown Mall Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Tel. (707) 542-7411 Hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Store Team Leader: Wes Walston Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/coddingtown Facebook: www.facebook.com/WFMCoddingtown
