CHICAGO, IL (July 31, 2013)- Whole Foods Market, Inc. (NASDAQ:WFM) today announced plans to relocate its existing Saint Paul, Minnesota location at 30 South Fairview Avenue to a new site at the intersection of Snelling and Selby Avenues. The existing store will remain open and in operation leading up to the opening of the new store. The company expects the new store to open in 2016.
The new store will be approximately 38,000 square feet and will build on what will be a twenty-year tradition of serving the St. Paul community at the time of opening. It will also reflect the company’s mission of supporting sustainable agriculture and the environment. With a focus on fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, specialty items, high-quality meats and poultry, everyday pantry staples and sustainable seafood, the store will appeal to a variety of customers ranging from the health conscious to the serious food enthusiast. Whole Foods Market expects to increase the overall number of Team Members (employees) that it employs in St. Paul with the relocation to the larger format store.
“We’re incredibly excited about the opportunity to continue and expand our connection with our customers and the community of St. Paul,” comments Michael Bashaw, Whole Foods Market Midwest Regional President. “This new store will give us a chance to serve our long-term customers and meet new ones in a larger location, the offers an expanded selection and more amenities. We’re looking forward to building and improving on all of the things that the community has come to expect from us all these years.”
“At Whole Foods Market, we strive to offer the freshest, most flavorful natural and organic foods available, and we are overjoyed to get to offer an even wider variety of products and services with this relocation,” says Andrew Kartak, Store Team Leader for the St. Paul location.
Community support is one of the company’s core values and Whole Foods Market has a history of establishing a commitment to each of the communities it serves. Quarterly Community Support Days, where 5 percent of one-day’s sales are donated to a local nonprofit organization, are one of the most successful company programs. Recent recipients for the existing St. Paul location include Great River Greening, Metro Meals on Wheels and the Minnesota Chapter of the American Diabetes Association. Other community support programs include One Dime at a Time, where customers can opt to have their 10¢ bag refund donated to a nonprofit organization, as well as daily donations to local food banks.
“We’re extremely appreciative for all of the support our customers and the St. Paul community have given to us over the years,” continues Kartak. “This store will be designed especially for them and the things that they’ve asked for in mind.”
