Whole Foods Reopens New Orleans Area Store
AUSTIN, Texas -- After operating on a partial basis for the past few months, Whole Foods Market here cut the ribbon on a rebuilt, 50,000-square-foot store in Metairie. La. yesterday.
Whole Foods had been operating out of about 30,000 square feet at the Jefferson Parish site, although without its mainstay full-service fresh foods departments.
"We are pleased to be back in full swing at the Veterans store," said store team leader Amy Archinal. "We had become an integral part of Jefferson Parish before the disruption of [Hurricane Katrina]. Whole Foods Market is committed to serving our shoppers for years to come. The community has told us they need us now more than ever, especially our prepared foods selections."
Whole Foods said it will donate five percent of the re-opening day sales to The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, to aid in the wetland recovery effort. Whole Foods Market will also continue its support for other local organizations through participation in community fundraisers and donations.
Whole Foods Market re-opened approximately 10,000-square-feet of the Veterans Blvd. store in Metairie on Nov. 1, 2005, and has since expanded to 30,000 square feet. Essentially, the Metairie location had everything available except the behind-the-counter service.
In addition to its emphasis on seafood -- through 34-feet of fresh offerings, an in-house smoker and a full-service, sit-down seafood restaurant -- the Metairie store also makes soups a focal point with soup stations in the seafood, meat and prepared foods departments.
Whole Foods had been operating out of about 30,000 square feet at the Jefferson Parish site, although without its mainstay full-service fresh foods departments.
"We are pleased to be back in full swing at the Veterans store," said store team leader Amy Archinal. "We had become an integral part of Jefferson Parish before the disruption of [Hurricane Katrina]. Whole Foods Market is committed to serving our shoppers for years to come. The community has told us they need us now more than ever, especially our prepared foods selections."
Whole Foods said it will donate five percent of the re-opening day sales to The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, to aid in the wetland recovery effort. Whole Foods Market will also continue its support for other local organizations through participation in community fundraisers and donations.
Whole Foods Market re-opened approximately 10,000-square-feet of the Veterans Blvd. store in Metairie on Nov. 1, 2005, and has since expanded to 30,000 square feet. Essentially, the Metairie location had everything available except the behind-the-counter service.
In addition to its emphasis on seafood -- through 34-feet of fresh offerings, an in-house smoker and a full-service, sit-down seafood restaurant -- the Metairie store also makes soups a focal point with soup stations in the seafood, meat and prepared foods departments.