Anybody else been to the new Whole Foods in Evanston?

Hi- I stopped in at the new Whole Foods on Green Bay in Evanston which just opened up today. I got there around 7:00 tonight, and there were lots of customers. It was definitely busy, but it was not crazy busy like Mariano's was when they opened up their Skokie store three months ago. The store is gorgeous, and it looks nothing like the Dominick's store that used to occupy the building. They have a wine bar there, and they also have a gelato station. The gelato looked really good. It was $2.49 for a small one. Valli's charges $2 for a small one.,

The Evanston store apparently has an inhouse smoker, and they are handing out free samples on Saturday, August 15 from 1:00-3:00. On August 5th they are celebrating National Oyster day, and they are having buck-a-shuck all day long.

I did ask somebody in the liquor department about Temperance beer, and he told me that they do carry it, but they are out right now.

After I left WF, I went down the street to Jewel to get a few groceries, and they were not nearly as busy. I ended up getting some frozen yogurt that they had on sale for 2/$6, and I had a coupon on my mymixx for $1 off of two. I also got some coffee that they had on clearance for $2.19 a can. I noticed that Jewel had some organic cluster tomatoes on sale for $.99 a pound, and some organic kale on sale for $.79 a pound. I am sure they did this to try to compete with Whole Foods. They have also rearranged the store since I have last been in there, and they added some more upscale things to try to compete. Hope this helps, Nancy

2748 Green Bay Rd
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 424-5700

This Whole Foods is was beyond the size of other two locations in Evanston and had a wildly friendliest staff of greeters as you entered. Among the first 500, I received a gift card and decided to spend it before I misplaced it. Kind Granola was on sale for the same price Heinen's has it on sale for this week but they did not have the flavor I wanted to purchase, Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters.
While shopping, I was stopped near the cheese department by one of the people in line next to me and asked, "Do you think you will shop here much?" I pointed to the cheeses and said that I found it was an appealing assortment. Then I pointed to the mini italian import crackers on display in front of us, priced at $5.99. I told her the same item is $4.99 at Mariano's and only $4.49 at Heinen's and said I would be selective about what I purchased here. "Won't this be more convenient" she asked and I agreed that occasionally picking up something I needed only a mile from home rather than driving 6 to 7 miles to save a dollar or two seemed smarter.
I think this store will do extremely well in the neighborhood, and based on the charities they are donating to on their next "donation day", they are aiming to include Winnetka in their customer base.

Hi- I am super selective about what I buy at Whole Foods. I buy the majority of my spices there in bulk, because even though I love Spice House, there are some spices that I don't use a lot of before it goes bad, and at Spice House you have to buy a minimum amount. I also buy some bulk food there, and I buy the majority of my Parmesan cheese there. At the last Black Friday sale there, they had imported Parmesan cheese on sale for $11 a pound, and so I bought two pounds worth. I also love their peanut butter, and usually buy it there when I can't get natural peanut butter cheap anywhere else. Right now though Jewel has Smucker's peanut butter on sale for $1.49 if you buy six, and that is less than a six month supply for me. The last time I went to Whole Foods, I had to go to my dentist who is down the street from the downtown Evanston store. After I was done at the dentist, I walked into Whole Foods, and ended up getting a head of organic garlic which was $5.99 a pound. When I checked out, the garlic was only $.79, and they gave me a dime back for bringing my own bag, and so it was $.69 plus tax. That is all I bought.

I have only been to Heinen's once, but I thought that they were too expensive. The time I went to the Glenview store four days before Thanksgiving, the store was not very busy. I then went to Mariano's, and they were super busy. I only ended up getting a few things there though. I would go to Mariano's more if there was one closer to me. I wish Mariano's had moved to the Green Bay store, and not Whole Foods. I think the Whole Foods store there will do ok though. They will do way better than the new Valli's store. I think they are going to put a dent in Jewel's business. It is strange though, because the Jewel on Chicago Avenue is right across the street from another Whole Foods, and they have never tried to compete with them. That is the cruddiest Jewel store within a five mile radius. The Green Bay Jewel is way nicer. Hope this helps, Nancy

Hi- I just left a review of the store on Yelp, and out of four reviews, I was the only one that loved the store. One person gave it low marks because its recycling program was not up and running on the first day. Give the store a break. They just opened up. Another person said that his produce was always mangled when he checked out, and a third person did not care for the flower selection, and thought the store was too expensive. I mentioned in my review that I loved the store, but no I did not plan on buying all my groceries there every week. I could not afford too, but I hit their three day sales, and I buy a lot of bulk food there, and especially their bulk spices, and I love their 365 peanut butter. Most people do not know this, but at WF you can stack manufacturer's coupons with WF store coupons that are in the coupon books that they usually have at the front of the store. There are a lot of coupons for natural foods that you can print online. You can also go to Fresh Thyme, and pick up copies of the Mambo Sprouts coupon book. Currently they have a $1 off coupon for Honest Tea, which is on sale right now at WF for $1, and so you get it for free. I believe you can go to the mambo sprouts website, and print coupons too. Hope this helps, Nancy

What a great tip Nancy, and a helpful way to support WF.
They are expensive, but certainly have an amazing selection.

FWIW, the Green Bay Road Whole Foods has contracted with Evanston's Sketchbook Brewing to produce Bio Pale Ale. It's only available at that Whole Foods store, or at the brewery. It's a very good organic Pale Ale.

Sketchbook Brewing wrote:A medium body pale ale brewed exclusively with organic malts, and organic Chinook hop from Carr Creek Hops farm in Michigan. The strong pine and grapefruit aroma and flavor of the hops balance out the rich malt and caramel flavors from the grains. This batch was made exclusively for the opening of the Whole Foods on Green Bay Road in Evanston.

5.4 % ABV | Bitterness: 38 IBUs