Other Whole Foods Type Stores in Vancouver?

[OnlyTheBest]

I was in the whole foods yesterday and it took me FOREVER to get there as i was comming from Point Roberts. my question is... are there other stores like that in the area... especially south.

i love the good yogurts they carry at whole foods....especially the non homognized ones. i also love goat and sheeps milk yogurt...which whole foods usually carries.

BUT... its such a tough drive there with all the bridges and their traffic i am not sure i will be going up there again anytime soon.

does anyone have any suggestions on where i might find any similar stores closer to the south end of the area.

or maybe even organic markets as they usually carry good quality yogurts.

thanks

[SBonner]

You could consider Capers in the West end or for a smaller selection of products mentioned Urban Fare in Yaletown. Unfortunately there are not alot of alternatives that I can think of.

Cheers,

Stephen

Edited December 31, 2005 by SBonner (log)

[Sam Salmon]

Choices has a store near 57 & W.Boulevard somewhere-they have a site.

[Vancouver]

What about Choices in White Rock?

http://choicesmarkets.com/whiterock.htm

It opened in September of this year.

Cheers!

[canucklehead]

You may also want to check out Thrifity foods - they have a location in Tsawassen.

Thrifty Locations

They seem to have a good selection of locally produced organic products.

[OnlyTheBest]

YES YES! thanks for all your replies i did go to Choices in white rock and they DID have the yogurts i was looking for.

i am glad to see there is at least a good Canadian store for those things.

whole foods is a good store but honestly alot of what i use to go there for was to buy good local products. i have never cared that much for their cooked foods they were never that tasty to me. they all look good but i never had anything from the takeaway that i thought was to die for.

BUT! they always support local producers and for that... i shop there unless i can find them somewhere else.

anyway... thanks again for information thats why i LOVE this board !

[Vancouver]

Glad to have helped out. Happy eating!

[Ling]

I don't know if there's a Save-on-Foods out by where you live, but that's where I buy my goat yogurt (from Happy Goats Farm).

[Vancitygirl]

There is another Whole Foods coming on Cambie Street. That might help, ah, AFTER the rapid transit line is in.

[Ducky]

Choices has a store near 57 & W.Boulevard somewhere-they have a site.

←

Not to hjijack the thread - but what exactly is it that attracts people to Choices - the store?

We live very close to one on West 16th - but every time we go there we swear it will be the last time. Their produce, fish, meat and cheese selections are very poor and almost everything in the store is seriously overpriced compared to competing stores.

Yes they play up the "local" and "organic" factors - but for these you are much better served at Stongs (which has to be one of the better kept secrets in this town) and Capers - or the GIM.

Wolfgang Puck soup? Paul Newman salad dressing? The "plastic or paper" mantra at the cash register? Why exactly are people shopping at Choices?

[kontemporary]

Choices has a store near 57 & W.Boulevard somewhere-they have a site.

←

Not to hjijack the thread - but what exactly is it that attracts people to Choices - the store?

We live very close to one on West 16th - but every time we go there we swear it will be the last time. Their produce, fish, meat and cheese selections are very poor and almost everything in the store is seriously overpriced compared to competing stores.

Yes they play up the "local" and "organic" factors - but for these you are much better served at Stongs (which has to be one of the better kept secrets in this town) and Capers - or the GIM.

Wolfgang Puck soup? Paul Newman salad dressing? The "plastic or paper" mantra at the cash register? Why exactly are people shopping at Choices?

←

I tend to think of Choices as Urban Fare-lite. Just a smaller selection, but generally just as upscale in terms of "organic" and "natural."

I think people just believe that they're paying for quality, when paying at such a price point at these stores. And of course, most people aren't complete foodies so they would not be aware of the products at Choices compared to the non-descript smaller store. In many cases, they haven't ever stepped foot into the latter so they wouldn't be aware of the same products being supplied.

Edited January 8, 2006 by kontemporary (log)

[barolo]

[

Not to hjijack the thread - but what exactly is it that attracts people to Choices - the store?

We live very close to one on West 16th - but every time we go there we swear it will be the last time. Their produce, fish, meat and cheese selections are very poor and almost everything in the store is seriously overpriced compared to competing stores. 

Yes they play up the "local" and "organic" factors - but for these you are much better served at Stongs (which has to be one of the better kept secrets in this town) and Capers - or the GIM.

Wolfgang Puck soup? Paul Newman salad dressing? The "plastic or paper" mantra at the cash register? Why exactly are people shopping at Choices?

←

Do you really think Capers is much better? I find their prices ridiculous and quality of produce often lacking. The one in the West End was selling Newman's Own baby spinach yesterday for a pretty penny (even on sale), as well as dried up heads of radicchio for outrageous prices.

To answer your question though, I think it is primarily convenience. I doubt that prices are much of a factor for the people who shop at Choices, they want to feel they are eating "superior" foods and Choices is a convenient place to for them to shop. It is probably where their friends and acquaintances shop too. Those factors are probably more important to them than anything else.

My experience is that to get good quality food in Vancouver for a reasonable price you really have to shop around, not something most people are willing to do, especially if they have a healthy income.

Edited January 8, 2006 by barolo (log)

[SushiCat]

Interesting topic ... I do shop at all the above but only sometimes. I like to shop around and visit shops in various neighborhoods etc., but it takes a lot more time, and ultimately is just as expensive IF you live close to one of the Choices/Capers/UF/WF etc. I don't live that close to any of these so I am happy to shop around and I like to give my $$ to local efforts instead of the big chains if all is equal. This being said, I don't understand why Choices seems to have the worst looking produce section seems to me the store on 16th is worse than others, but who knows ... it is as bad as Safeway produce! Lucky for me, we have lots of green-grocers close by. In fact, our closest favorite one is now stocking a variety of things one might go searching for at the above mentioned spots. Let's hope for more reform in what foods are carried where, and that eventually pricing will even out!

[quattroporte]

There is another Whole Foods coming on Cambie Street.  That might help, ah, AFTER the rapid transit line is in.

←

Really? Anybody know when it's supposed to open? I heard that Save-On was coming instead.

[shona m f pearson]

I love the walk along the water to the Urban Fare. I figure the $1.40 for an excellent apple and a great 40 minute walk is as good a deal as a gym membership....! I know I'm not from here but what's with all the spandex people in fitness centers pounding away in front of windows, so they can see me walking to get an excellent apple !! funny

Capers is a good store. Vegan child and gluten-intolerant roommate and I all enjoy some of the delicious multi grain baked stuff. Love that we can get Terra bread, David Wood cheese, and the fixings for home-made (vegan and gluten-free) granola in one spot.

I buy most of my produce on Davie Street, where there are several small fruit and veg stores- lots of organic available. And the market, of course, once or twice a week.

SO- I'm singing the song of living downtown. Have to say I'm not finding the prices much higher than the last larger centers we've lived in, though we hear a lot about how expensive it is here. Love the idea (hope it's true) that some of the cost of the food I choose pretty carefully is going to the producers.

[eugene]

There is another Whole Foods coming on Cambie Street.  That might help, ah, AFTER the rapid transit line is in.

←

Really? Anybody know when it's supposed to open? I heard that Save-On was coming instead.

←

Why yes, as it happens I do know know about it!

Rennie Marketing Systems - http://www.rennie.com - has began promoting a new development called Cross Roads, on Broadway at Cambie. You can view it here:

http://www.crossroadsvancouver.com/

It will be anchored by a GIANT Whole Foods store. If you go to the Media section on their site, there are related 3 articles. The most relevant however is from Business In Vancouver which gives the date of "mid to half 2008". You can read it here.

http://www.crossroadsvancouver.com/documen...0927-100305.pdf

Can I borrow half a million from somebody? I'm good for it! Honest!

[BCinBC]

Quattro and everyone, HERE is the Whole Foods / Save On Cambie St discussion we had previously.