Today’s the day that the newest Whole Foods Market in Houston finally opens its doors at the corner of Post Oak and San Felipe amidst the bustling crowd in that Galleria Area. At over 55,000 sq. feet, Whole Foods Market Post Oak will be their largest store inside the Houston loop, and will offer a unique experience to Houston. The store is set to open Thursday at 8am, with a “breaking of the bread” in lieu of a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony. They will also be presenting to St. George Place Elementary School from their Whole Kids Foundation, their garden grant to promote education of young children on healthy eating.
During the first week of business, Whole Foods Market Post Oak will host 1 percent Community Giving Day as a part of their commitment to the community of Houston. Guests can support different local nonprofit organizations such as Recipe for Success, Star of Hope and several others just by shopping in the store the opening week.
About Whole Foods Post Oak
This Whole Foods Market Post Oak opens its doors offering a full range of high quality and organic foods including a vast assortment of more than 500 locally sourced offerings and more than 300 organic produce items. Such local specialties as Kickin Kombucha, I Am Waters to name a few are featured here. At the preview we actually tried many of this store’s specialty items that were tasty enough to draw us back for seconds.
The biggest news in the store is the opening of the grocery industry’s first ever craft beer brewery within a grocery store stocked with 20 beers on tap. Called the Whole Foods Brewing Company that comes with an In-store Tricycle Delivery Service complete with kegs on board that will transport beer to guests within the store as you are shopping. Juice Bar is strategically place right next to produce so that you can be inspired by the fruit that surrounds it. There is also a Taqueria, a Mediterranean style grill, Barbecue bar (the smokehouse can make delish smoked meats/fish that we tried at the preview…so good!) Loved The Greenhouse, their in-store clothing/accessories boutique that features repurposed sustainable clothing, vinyl records and newest addition, Tom’s sunglasses…all of these are categories that WFM plans for growth and highlighted in a boutique front and center in the store.
About parking
As a concern that I know that I had, that many have mentioned and that Whole Foods has made a great attempt at addressing is the frenzied potential parking backlog that could be at this popular Galleria-area intersection. The result is one of my favorite features of the store…a dedicated parking garage entrance from Post Oak Boulevard and a system within that features red and green lights that direct your pace into the garage, shows you to lanes where there are openings and even has a light above spaces that tell you if a space is available thru a green light posting above it. Loved that and wish that other high traffic shopping areas around the inner city could develop a like system….life would be so much easier! They even provide a magnetic escalator down to the parking garage from the store that will take you and your basket directly to your car!
The In-Store Brewery
Whole Foods will have the grocery industry’s first ever in-store brewery. The brewery will make small batch beers, and guests can choose from 20 options and can also enjoy unique food pairings. There will even be a in-store delivery tricycle, holding two kegs, that can transport beer to guests as they shop. Even those lounging on the second floor mezzanine can enjoy beer on tap.
Special In-store Shops
A juice bar that makes cold pressed juices and smoothies right from the fresh produce in-store. Also, the Bakery will bake many of its yummy breads and desserts right on the premises.
In-store Dining
Whole Foods will have everything from a fresh seafood market offering beer salmon burgers and dim sum to a Mediterranean style eatery serving up baklava and bird’s nest.
The Greenhouse
