Mmm, more cheese

Whole Foods is opening a new store in Lakewood, near my neighborhood. It's about two miles closer than the old Greenville Avenue store, but that two miles makes a world of difference. The new WF is about six times larger, prettier, and much more of a destination. The old store was too cramped and cluttered. It was like a teenager still squeezing into her "Jonas Brothers" t-shirt. It was too small and it needed to move on and grow up.

The new store as all sorts of corporate nods to its "new" neighborhood, from Live Oak leaves decorating the ceiling to a Lakewood-centric timeline - Do you know what year the Corinthian Sailing Club was founded? How about LCC? - on the cold-foods wall.

There is more merchandise than was at the old Greenville store, but less of its charming birkenstock-y attitude. Whole Foods Lakewood feels more corporate and less granola, but it's not the mecca the Austin store is, nor does it have the uber-suburbia feel of the Preston Road store - spa, anyone? However, if Lakewood ever wanted a place to hang out and bump into everyone in the 'hood, this Whole Foods will be just perfect for that.

It opens Monday, at 9:30am. I'll be there to break bread with them; come get a slice.