When news came last year that the new Silver Lake Whole Foods would be the first in the chain's relatively more affordable 365 line, the reaction was lukewarm. But, it turns out, that just means Silver Lake could have one of the hippest Whole Foods ever. Bloomberg (via Eater) reports that Whole Foods is trying to spice up its 365 chain by reaching out to other vendors to hopefully open shop inside the "value"-oriented stores. The Friends of 365 program is open to any kind of business—record stores, people selling artisanal lotions, even tattoo shops.
At the time the 365 status was announced for the Silver Lake grocery store, the new stores were described as the chain's "convenient, streamlined, value-oriented" outposts. What could be more convenient, streamlined, and value-oriented than getting a tattoo in the grocery store? The tattoo parlor and the grocery store are two places you've gotta go, and now they are the same place, saving shoppers time and gas money. No tattoo parlors were mentioned as having applied, so this is all just wishful thinking still on the part of Whole Foods, which really wants its "Millennial-focused" stores to be cool. Aww.
When it opens, the Silver Lake Whole Foods will have on-site booze and in-store dining space too. Previous predictions had the store opening in the first half of this year, but it's unclear if that's still the plan.
· Whole Foods May Put Tattoo Parlors Inside New Millennial-Focused Stores [Bloomberg]
· Silver Lake is Getting the First "Affordable" Whole Foods [Curbed LA]