Whole Foods on Half Paycheck?

What do you think of when you read "Whole Foods"? Do you think of it as a place to find a good bargain? Probably not. With the nickname "Whole Paycheck", even among those who love the place, our neighborhood green grocer doesn't exactly have the reputation as a bargain-hunter's paradise.

And they're aware of it. Nationwide, the company is trying to fight its image as a over-priced. Have you seen evidence at the P Street location? I haven't really, but perhaps I'm not looking for the right things.

Another Whole Foods Coming to the District?

Not exactly in our neighborhood, but:

Via DCist, it seems that our local neighborhood grocery chain is looking to expand its presence. There are talks in progress with Whole Foods to open a store in Gallery Place. The addition of grocery stores in the city - especially in newly revitalized urban residential centers - is always a good thing. The opening of Whole Foods in Logan Circle is widely regarded as one of the major catalysts that dramatically sped up the ongoing neighborhood turn-around.

Sure, their prices can be a bit high, but an expensive grocery store is better than no grocery store at all. At the very least, it proves to the other major chains in the area that a clean, safe, well-stocked urban grocery store can be quite profitable; maybe prompting them to finally clean up some of their more blighted stores.