Whole Foods, once slated to be built at Fauntleroy and Alaska Street but whose original development was stalled (resulting in a construction pit for a few years) finally found a home across the street from its first target and the store's grand opening on Oct. 9, will show that the company (and it's still relatively new parent Amazon) are serious about keeping things organic, local and with a stunning variety of foods both fresh and packaged.

"We like to think we do the homework for the customer," a company spokesperson said in regard to the kind of research and buying they do for products that have no chemicals, or additives.

Located at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW in The Whittaker Apartment Complex, the new 45,000 square-foot store is celebrating the grand opening with music and complimentary samples from local vendors before the store opens. As part of the opening day festivities, the first 300 customers will receive a Whole Foods Market West Seattle reusable canvas tote bag, including snacks and a savings card with a mystery value ranging between $5 and $100.

“As a West Seattle resident, I’m so excited to welcome my neighbors to their new Whole Foods Market,” said Gary Ruiz, Store Team Leader. “We’re thrilled to offer our customers access to an extensive selection of prepared foods, grocery, and body care items that all meet Whole Foods Market’s unparalleled quality standards, thousands of locally sourced items and indoor and outdoor seating where customers can enjoy coffee or a meal in a contemporary, bright setting with Seattle-inspired design elements.”

Offering a selection of locally sourced options, grab-and-go prepared foods and natural and organic grocery items, 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 include:

• Fresh produce department with seasonal fruits and vegetables, including selections from over 10 local growers
• Full-service butcher department featuring in-house-made sausages, kebabs and chicken from local suppliers
• Seafood department offering fresh and frozen seafood, with all offerings either sustainable wild caught or responsibly farmed, including options from local suppliers such as Gerard & Dominique Seafoods, Penn Cove Shellfish and C & H Fish Company
• Specialty foods section featuring cheeses, chocolates and pasta from more than 100 local suppliers such as Washington-based Cascadia Creamery, Joe Chocolate Co and Lagana Foods; the cheese selection is overseen by an in-store American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional who can offer expertise and recommendations for any request or occasion 
• Expansive in-house bakery offering an array of self-served baked goods such as cookies, cakes and breads, with many items for special diets and from local bakeries such as Flying Apron, Macrina Bakery and The Essential Baking Company
• 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
• Brews and Blends: a full-service coffee, juice and tea bar offering seasonal varieties like pumpkin and caramel-flavored drinks and made-to-order juice, smoothies and acai bowls
• Beauty and body care department featuring products from various local suppliers including candles from Big Dipper Wax Works, selections from Alaffia Body Care and natural hair products from Phillip Adam Haircare
• Expansive selection of beer, wine and spirits with over 300 offerings from local producers, such as Lobo Hills, Tin Dog Brewing and Seattle Cider Co
• Products throughout the store from more than 700 local and regional 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
• Ample parking options, with nearly 200 spots designated for Whole Foods Market customers
• In the prepared foods department, the store has 12 soup wells; 1 full hot bar with 24 options for a variety of comfort foods (such as mac and cheese, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, etc.) as well as Italian, Vietnamese, and Indian cuisines and seasonal options; and 2 cold bars featuring about 70 different salad ingredients
• In the frozen grocery aisle, you’ll find ice cream from about 40 different brands and frozen pizzas from roughly 20 different suppliers

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 employs approximately 120 full and part-time team members. Following the grand opening, the store will be open from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.

Whole Foods Market has 10 additional stores in Washington.

Deliveries to the store are worked out on a schedule. Prior to the construction of The Whittaker, while Whole Foods was still only a consideration, concern was expressed that traffic on Fauntleroy Way SW, considered to be a primary transportation route due to the connection to the Fauntleroy Ferry, would be severely impacted. A store spokesperson acknowledged that due to the company's policy for having products with minimal preservatives, more frequent deliveries are required but that many occur at off hours or are done in a sequence to have the least traffic impact. 

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