information from Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market will open its new 45,000 square-foot West Seattle store, located at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW in The Whittaker Apartment Complex, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9. Opening day celebrations will include music and complimentary samples from local vendors before the store opens. The first 300 customers will receive a Whole Foods Market West Seattle reusable canvas tote bag including snacks, swag and a savings card with a mystery value ranging between $5 and $100.

“We can’t wait to open our doors to the West Seattle community,” said Gary Ruiz, Store Team Leader. “Featuring products from more than 700 local suppliers, grocery items and prepared foods for all tastes and preferences and décor inspired by the scenes of Seattle, we’re excited for our neighbors to experience a Whole Foods Market designed specifically for this community.”

All food at Whole Foods Market must meet the company’s rigorous quality standards, which prohibit hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. In addition, all beauty and body care products must meet the company’s body care standards, which ban animal testing and more than a hundred commonly used ingredients.

Special features of the store will include:

• Fresh produce department with seasonal fruits and vegetables, including selections from 10 local suppliers
• Full-service butcher department featuring in-house-made sausages, kebabs and chicken from local suppliers
• Seafood department offering fresh seafood and packaged, frozen fish
• Specialty foods section featuring cheeses, chocolates and pasta from over 100 local suppliers, including a selection of cheeses overseen by an in-store American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional
• Expansive, in-house bakery offering an array of self-serve baked goods, such as cookies, cakes, and breads, with a variety of items from local bakeries and for special diets
• Prepared foods section with a wide selection of hot and cold food bars, including a salad bar, soup wells and stations for tacos, gourmet sandwiches, pizza, sushi, rotisserie chickens, charcuterie and plant-based offerings
• Full-service coffee, juice and tea bar called Brews and Blends, offering seasonal varieties and made-to-order juice, smoothies and acai bowls
• Bulk section with over 150 options
• Selection of beer, wine and spirits with over 300 offerings from local producers
• Beauty and body care department featuring a variety of local products   
• Hundreds of products from local suppliers, 15 of which are recipients of Whole Foods Market’s Local Producer Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to local producers to help grow their businesses

Amazon Prime members who shop at Whole Foods Market have access to a number of benefits year-round, like deep discounts on dozens of select popular products each week and an additional 10 percent off hundreds of in-store sale items. In addition, eligible Prime members receive five percent back on Whole Foods Market purchases when using the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card.

To celebrate joining the community, five percent of the store’s net sales on October 17 will benefit the West Seattle Helpline, which offers emergency assistance for members of the West Seattle and White Center communities. From opening day through the end of the year, all donations from Whole Foods Market’s bag credit program, which provides a credit to customers who bring their own shopping bags, will go to the West Seattle Food Bank, an organization dedicated to providing the community with access to safe and nutritious food.

Whole Foods Market West Seattle will employ approximately 120 full and part-time team members. Following the grand opening, the store will be open from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily.

Whole Foods Market has 10 additional stores in Washington.

For more information visit https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/westseattle.