Help Bring Whole Foods Market To Columbia Heights!
Would you like Whole Foods Market to come to Columbia Heights? You can join our campaign to bring Whole Foods Market to the DC USA retail complex! The best way for you to voice your support for Whole Foods is to email Karen Riley at karen.riley@wholefoods.com. Karen Riley is the real estate coordinator for Whole Foods Market. She can demonstrate the level of our support directly to the Whole Foods team working on the negotiations. Please be as descriptive as you can in your emails. Please also cc or bcc your emails to Ms. Riley to us at info@columbiaheightsnews.org. We need to keep a running tally of how many messages have been sent to Whole Foods Market so we can gage how much more work we need to do. The more people who can email Whole Foods Market the more powerful our collective voices will be! It looks like we are facing an uphill battle but as a community we can make a difference! Please spread the word!
We apologize for the delay in providing an update on the Whole Foods situation. We regret even more that this latest update may be the least hopeful. The situation does not look good. And it looks even worse when you consider who the top contender for the space maybe now...you guessed it - Ross Dress For Less.
Our good neighborhood resident, Adam, already had a leg up on this story which he posted on our forum. Please read this thread, No Whole Foods, No Trader Joes. Our hearts sank when we read it. We immediately tried to contact Karen Riley, the Real Estate Coordinator at Whole Foods, to verify whether Whole Foods has indeed backed out of DC USA. Ms. Riley has become increasingly difficult to get a hold of. We finally got a hold of her last week.
Ms. Riley informed us that the negotiations with DC USA developers have stagnated. In fact, Ms. Riley said she hadn't spoken with a representative from DC USA for many months now. She stated the primary reason for the impasse was the lack of dedicated parking. We asked her to provide an official statement from Whole Foods regarding its decision and a detailed explanation for why it was made. Unfortunately we are yet to receive such a statement. We would like to publish such a statement to bring some finality to the hundreds of community residents who demonstrated such strong support for Whole Foods.
To date, we have been copied on 332 emails that were sent to Ms. Riley by residents expressing support for Whole Foods. We wish that everyone could be privy to these emails and not just us and Whole Foods. Then you would get a sense of just how powerful our campaign was. But we are bound to protect everyone's privacy and guard your identities from spammers, telemarketers, and the like. Nearly every email was extremely heartfelt. We were amazed by the insight and persuasiveness of so many of them. We don't know how any retailer could, in its right mind, back out with the kind of support that this community has demonstrated. It is with our deepest regret to have to inform you of such a disappointing outcome after the valiant effort put forth by so many community members.
If there is anyone who wouldn't mind having your emails published here, please let us know. We can strip out any personal information that you may have included. In the mean time, you can get some sense of what residents have been writing to Whole Foods by reading some of the petition entries. As a last ditch effort, we will compile all the emails and petition entries into a single document and send it Whole Foods Chairman, John Mackey.
We hate to be bearers of such bad news so we thought we could provide a positive update on what other retailers have expressed interest in the space left behind by Whole Foods. But as we mentioned above, the news doesn't get any better. Last week we spoke with Peter Mallios of Newmark Knight Frank, the leasing firm for DC USA. Despite being very difficult to get a hold of, Mr. Mallios was very informative when we finally reached him. He confirmed our fears of Whole Foods backing out. The retail space that had been allocated for Whole Foods is 50,000 square feet which is nearly equally divided on two levels. Mallios stated that the space can now be cut to whatever size required by a prospective tenant. The current plan is to set aside one level and a half to Ross Dress for Less, and the remaining space to a furniture retailer (maybe La-Z-Boy).
Mallios did mention that there had been some effort put forth to recruit Trader Joes but it was to no avail thus far. On a somewhat positive note, Mallios stated that nothing is written in stone a this point and directing community support to Trader Joes could help. He mentioned that the DC USA developers regard Trader Joes as a perfect complement to the existing Giant and would love to have it as a tenant. We are currently trying to gather as much information about this as we can. We have already spoken with four Trader Joes representatives and are close to getting to the bottom of this. We will post something shortly, once we get a definitive answer.
Aside from a specialty grocer, we still feel that one thing that this community would be lacking is a good bookstore, whether it be independent (Olsson's, Kramerbooks, etc) or national (Borders, Barnes and Nobles, Books-A-Million, etc). Perhaps we can explore this or any other suggestions you may have.
Comments
Thank you, Jessica Written by JMac on 2007-04-12 15:46:393 points.
One: There are some horrible people who live in my neighborhood.
Two: They are building a Harris Teeter within walking distance of the Giant. Literally 10 minute walk.
Three: Whole Foods is DOWN THE FRIGGIN STREET.
To my jerkoff neighbors. You can't catch poor. Don't be afraid of people who have less than you.
Written by Jeff (New2CH) on 2007-04-12 16:11:03I think there can be a middle ground here. No need to denigrate stores as ghetto, etc. etc. At the same time, a lot of people are paying a huge premium to live in a place like Columbia Heights, and a lot more will be paying that premimum in the other new condo buildings. If we wanted to live next to a second-rate suburban strip mall, we would be living in Virigina somewhere. Part of the allure of city living, part of what makes the extra noise, crime, graffiti, traffic, etc. worth it, is to be able to walk to attractive food, entertainment, and shopping destinations. What is so wrong with wanting that? What is so wrong with wanting to have great fresh fish, meats, and prepared food, all of which are sorely lacking at Giant? What is wrong with wanting to be able to walk to a grocery store without 40 minutes lines at 6:30 at night, which Giant will soon experience at the rate its going? What is wrong with wanting a place to get a good piece of pizza, or sushi, or buy a good book, or find a nice piece of cheese? That's why I (a) pay a premium and (b) put up with a lot of inconveniences to live in an urban environment(along with other benefits of course, like diversity, architectural character, short commute, etc.) and I don't see any need to apologize for that. Instead, DCUSA is becoming a bargain outlet center destined to attract, I would bet, primarily people from outside the neighborhood. No neighborhood stores, no neighborhood input, no neighborhood services, and no neighborhood ties. I don't like that direction, AT ALL. Please don't impute the exaggerated and inappropriate language/characterizations of a few posters to the majority who, reasonably, want their neighborhood to feature an attractive, interesting, and vibrant commerical center.
Keeping it real... Written by Kenny on 2007-04-12 16:37:283 points.
One: There are some horrible people who live in my neighborhood.
*** yes, they rob, steal, and vandalize... good observation***
Two: They are building a Harris Teeter within walking distance of the Giant. Literally 10 minute walk.
*** There's a dozen inexpensive Latin groceries even closer... next point***
Three: Whole Foods is DOWN THE FRIGGIN STREET.
*** What's that have to do with Columbia Heights? There's a Marshalls around the "FRIGGIN" corner (to borrow your logic)***
To my jerkoff neighbors. You can't catch poor. Don't be afraid of people who have less than you.
*** Assuming you include me, a resident who was born in DC, and grew up in Columbia Heights and likely have a better understanding of "keeping it real" than you'll ever have. I don't understand this unwillingness to reject all things beyond the means of poorest of our community. Believe me, you'll still be able to buy your cheap 3rd world crap , have your car broken into, and walk over the garbage and rats after an upscale grocer comes to the neighborhood. You're really too fixated on Whole Foods where most of our objections are towards Ross and Lazyboy -- regardless of whether WF comes to the neighborhood. Personally, I'd rather have a Barnes and Noble... or is that too corporate for you?***
signed, Jerkoff Neighbor
Written by Question on 2007-04-12 16:51:03Part of the reason these condo developments that are causing everyone to pay a premium to live in Columbia Heights are going up is because the DC USA complex was already planned for years. So the idea that now the DC USA project is flawed because the new residents moving into apartment buildings drawn to the area by the retail complex didn't get input into what stores would hold the leases there is sort of silly.
Written by thefreefood on 2007-04-12 17:21:24The comments on this thread are very disheartening. Sure, I'm not particularly excited about Ross myself, but the way that people act about this is at best petty, and at worst grossly offensive.
One of the things I have come to dislike about Columbia Heights is the degree of divisiveness that permeates the neighborhood. Far too many people have moved to Columbia Heights acting as if they've just settled in the desert and society owes it to them to hook up a water main. How the hell do you expect current residents to react to that? This has always been a neighborhood, even if it was previously commercially under-served. You've settled in one of the few truly diverse neighborhoods in this city, both racially and economically. If you didn't want diversity, why did you come here? Columbia Heights has the potential to be one of the most interesting and livable neighborhoods in this city. It certainly isn't there yet, but it's not the lack of a Whole Foods that's most obstructing such an end. It's the attitudes of people who believe that the presence of __insert demographic group__ is holding back their elitist vision, or alternately ruining their previously pristine neighborhood neighborhood. The real challenge that Columbia Heights faces is the clear and continued lack a cohesive community sentiment. This neighborhood will never reach its potential until people on all sides are willing to get off their respective high horses.
DCUSA is a shopping center. Moreover, it will contain the District's only Target. Like it or not, it's going to attract people from all over the city, and that's what it's designed to do. If I were developing DCUSA, I would honestly think of Whole Foods as a less than ideal tenant simply because people who come from halfway across town aren't looking to buy produce. None of this means that the tenants that sign in DCUSA don't matter. However, personally, I don't care if there's a Whole Foods there or not. I might shop there on occasion, but if a grocery store there, I can handle the walk to Harris Teeter, the lines at Giant or the limited selection at Bestway. Frankly, I'm much more excited about the variety of small shops and new restaurants that have been opening up in the neighborhood than I will ever be about yet another grocery store.
To the extent that I'd like to see a tenant besides Ross, I would like to see a tenant that will bring more folks who will shop at the small shops to keep them open and to keep them affordable. If that's a Barnes and Noble, fine. If it's a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods, fine. I'm willing to bet that there are better options than a Ross Dress for Less, just as I'm willing to bet that there are better options than all the ridiculous high-end stores that people have been proposing in the comments. The truth is, they're opening a shopping center with a Target, a Best Buy, and a Staples. Middle American retail has come to Columbia Heights, and any developer that wants to make money has to realize that those are the types of retailers they should continue to sign.
Stop acting as if you're being forced to mingle with the plebeians.
Written by Vincent on 2007-04-12 21:12:49WANTING a high quality grocer like Whole Foods is part of progress. All these people posting comments that talk about embracing the so-called character of CH, including the crime, the litter, the drunkards, the lazy people who beg for money (the ppl who have the energy and health to work but just sit there and harass you, when they could be out looking for jobs...look at the migrant workers! I am so proud of them for their hard work ethic), etc... etc... seem to WANT the situation to stay and not change. People like me who buy into CH and move here are doing this place a HUGE favor. I will be very blunt to even assert that without people like ME, the so called "elitists," CH would stay a crime infested, dirty, and poverty-stricken neighborhood. WE are here to make this place better, not just for US "elitists" but for all of the good people in CH who may not have a lot of money, but are good law-abiding citizens who deserve much better than what exists today. I did not move to CH to accept the current situation. I came to CHANGE it. THAT is progress. And NO, Giant does NOT have the same kinds of food that WF has! You are crazy to think that!! All you have to do is look at the ingredient labels. Two shelves of Nature's Promise is pitiful. Having a place like WF in CH, even though there's a Giant, will be of great benefit to the people who have never been exposed to the natural food at WF, and this will educate them on how to eat healthier thus improving their lives (have you seen the data on health problems among DC residents, especially in the AA community??...all mostly linked to DIET!!!). And if you think WF is beyond the reach of the average CH resident, then read the New York Times article that talks about WF's prices being very competitive with other grocers. My 100% juice is cheaper at WF than it is at Giant, and there are NO chemicals, High Fructose Corn Syrup, or preservatives. Think PROGRESS, people. PROGRESS that will uplift the lives of the average CH citizen. What is disgusting is some people's unwillingess to accept change, especially when it's for the good of the people.
Written by Kevin on 2007-04-13 09:12:25So drive to the Whole Foods on P street. Trader Joe's is a much better option anyway. This whole argument is moot, because TJs has cheaper and healthier food than both Giant and WF. That is the real win-win for the neighborhood. That way no one has to worry about Ross funking up our property values and the neighborhood gets another grocer option that is needed, not just desired to attract more high incomes.
Written by
on 2007-04-13 10:02:50Here's the deal: I think we shouldn't make false distinctions among this group when they are not necessary. What we all want are establishments that will better serve ALL of the CH community. So the question becomes, what retail option brings the most 'value' to the community?
Let me break this down by argument.
Ross vs. Somthing Else
Ross is a discount-priced clothing store that is very similar to Marshall's and with some overlap from Target. Honestly, I don't mind Marshall's/Ross (I shop there from time-to-time), but I think most people could agree that is does not bring much extra value to CH that the other stores do not.
Grocery Store vs. Something Else
While it seems like most of you have forgotten just how momentous the addition of the Giant to the CH/Mt.P community was, I think most of us agree that there is a starting to be a strain on Giant's capacity. However, when all the condo complexes are finished and hundreds if not thousands of new people come to CH the demand for more grocery options will only increase. In sum, it seems like another grocery would bring some real value to people in the area, especially if it offered other types of food (for the yuppie, health food contingent--of which I am a part) that were still reasonably priced (for the cost-conscious contingent--of which I am also a part). As Kevin said, the answer to that question is obviously Trader Joe's. Even though they are moving to W. St., I think we can still make the case that there is enough demand for both.
Other store options....
A Barnes and Nobles definitely seems to bring real value to the community since there is no major bookstore between Politics and Prose and downtown (though god knows I love Busboys and Poets mini-store).
SO WHAT DO WE DO?
Assuming that people agree that the addition of a Trader Joe's or a bookstore is by far the top preference of people on this post, how do we organize to show our collective interest and demonstrate the potential force of our buying power? Who do we need to get in touch with?
Someone lay out a couple of next steps and let's join together to make something happen.
Written by
on 2007-04-13 11:03:05There is zero chance that Trader Joes will open one store at 14th and W and another one 8 blocks away. It's a huge grocery store, not a Starbucks that can be on every corner.
Written by GforGood on 2007-04-13 12:56:44And, its not like Trader Joe's (typically at least) has that great a selection of fresh produce, meat or fish. Lots of great canned, frozen etc. goods yes. Btw, I actually find Giant selection of organic good pretty decent. Meat.. oh well. :)
Anyway, it appears that a grocery store coming to DC USA is fairly distant prospect at this time.
So in absense of that, some other kind of variety would be nice. A hardware store with good selection would be a good addition, as would a bookstore, or a clothing store that would be somewhat different in profile from Marshall's and Target. Realistically, the kinds of Gap, Old Navy etc. sring to mind.
As far as I know, there is still quite a few smaller spaces open in DC USA so not all hope is lost.
I don't have illusions about DC USA's ability to go with whatever the community or parts of it want though. In the end in particular the chain stores are probably pretty good at making market estimations, and even if DC USA itself wanted a particular store in there, its not like its their decision in the end.
By the way, there was about a year ago talk of a butcher cominmg to somewhere around 11th St or something.. Is there any hope of that actually happening? Any news on that? A good butcher would be a great complement to Giant.
Would you like Whole Foods Market to come to Columbia Heights? You can join our campaign to bring Whole Foods Market to the 
We apologize for the delay in providing an update on the 
Ms. Riley informed us that the negotiations with DC USA developers have stagnated. In fact, Ms. Riley said she hadn't spoken with a representative from DC USA for many months now. She stated the primary reason for the impasse was the lack of dedicated parking. We asked her to provide an official statement from Whole Foods regarding its decision and a detailed explanation for why it was made. Unfortunately we are yet to receive such a statement. We would like to publish such a statement to bring some finality to the hundreds of community residents who demonstrated such strong support for Whole Foods.
We hate to be bearers of such bad news so we thought we could provide a positive update on what other retailers have expressed interest in the space left behind by Whole Foods. But as we mentioned above, the news doesn't get any better. Last week we spoke with Peter Mallios of Newmark Knight Frank, the leasing firm for DC USA. Despite being very difficult to get a hold of, Mr. Mallios was very informative when we finally reached him. He confirmed our fears of Whole Foods backing out. The retail space that had been allocated for Whole Foods is 50,000 square feet which is nearly equally divided on two levels. Mallios stated that the space can now be cut to whatever size required by a prospective tenant. The current plan is to set aside one level and a half to Ross Dress for Less, and the remaining space to a furniture retailer (maybe La-Z-Boy).
