Whole Foods Market opens its doors in the Lincoln Park neighborhood near DePaul University on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. The 29,600-square-foot store, at 959 W. Fullerton, is the second of seven Chicagoland Whole Foods Markets slated to open in 2015, and the 21st location in the area.
“We are so excited to open a store in this dynamic Chicagoland,” says Jared Pinkos, the store’s team leader. “This area has a wonderful blend of university faculty, staff and students, neighborhood families, and commuters on their way to or from work—we are so thrilled to serve them all.”
The DePaul store features a variety of beverage and prepared food options as well as classic Whole Foods Market favorites for shoppers to choose from:
• The Red Star Bar, offering eight brews on tap, including an exclusive Fullerton Stop Pale Ale from Begyle Brewery
• A street-side coffee window to satisfy customers on the go with coffee, smoothies, blended coffee drinks, and espresso-based beverages from a LaMarzocco 3-Group Linea espresso machine
• An expanded bakery case with an array of fresh-baked treats
• A Cuban-inspired taqueria featuring pollo asado, ropa vieja, mojo pork and jackfruit tacos
• A build-your-own sandwich station featuring locally designed selections
• House-made, Neapolitan-style pizza
To celebrate opening day, Whole Foods Market will host a bread-breaking ceremony at 8:45 a.m. with 43rd ward Alderman Michele Smith, DePaul’s University President, Father Dennis Holtschneider, Whole Foods Market team members and DePaul neighbors. The store officially opens at 9 a.m. The first 500 customers will receive Whole Foods Market gift cards valued between $5 and $500.
Whole Foods Market’s dedication to quality and service extends beyond the brick and mortar of the store. “Whole Foods Market is committed to every community we serve,” Pinkos said. “We worked closely with local organizations long before opening our doors and look forward to working closely with the community for years to come.”
The store’s team members and customers are empowered to support local causes. In celebration of opening week, the store will hold five days of community giving, where 1 percent of each day’s net sales will be donated to a Chicago-based organization, including Climate Cycle, Peggy Notebaert Museum, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Sit Stay Read, and the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic.
Whole Foods Market also supports the community through the One Dime at a Time program, which provides an incentive to customers who bring their own bags for shopping. At the register, customers will have the option to receive a 10-cent-per-bag refund, or they can choose to donate it to that month’s selected charity. Whole Foods Market DePaul’s first One Dime at a Time recipient will be I Paint My Mind.
