Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park: One-stop healthy food shopping and dining
Whole Foods Market may be a household name when it comes to grocery shopping for health food, but Lincoln Park’s version takes the mission a step further introducing exclusive products and several food bars for eating on-site.
Since opening in Texas in the early ‘80s, Whole Foods Market has morphed into a super chain of about 300 grocery stores throughout the U.S, Canada and the U.K. Unlike most chains, Whole Foods strives to educate the masses on healthy eating and only sells organic-based products made without hydrogenated fats and preservatives.
Eating organic tends to cost more than regular food, but the store offers daily specials and discounts. In May of 2009, the Lincoln Park store moved to its current location overlooking the Chicago River, thus, a River Walk was implemented with outdoor seating and a nice view. Also, this Whole Foods is the first Chicago grocery store to enact an Automated Express Check-Out, which by using a colored coded system, is a fast and efficient way to avoid waiting in long lines.
The store has several kiosks, or food bars on hand for shoppers to order food and eat it upstairs at the mezzanine level. Fresh quesadillas, sandwiches, shakes and pizza are made to order along with an extensive salad bar of hot and cold items. According to the store's website, “these food venues are like mini Chicago restaurants, without the wait.”
Once getting past the overwhelming amount of options, it’s time to seriously browse the huge space. The store breaks their products into departments: cheese, wine and beer, seafood, meat (100 percent local), a bakery, produce and beauty. Foodies and health nuts looking for exotic purchases like a Himalayan salt block have come to the right place.
HelloChicago Tip: Other amenities that enhance the shopping experience include a live music stage with entertainment, a full bar and coffee shop, cooking classes, free WiFi, 400 spaces of free parking and a conveyor belt created solely for the grocery cart.
Posted by Garin Pirnia
