Whole Foods San Jose Grand Opening Today

The other day I had the opportunity to eat dinner at one of the most anticipated new spots in Downtown San Jose. This place, known for its food, also has a microbrewery and tap-room on site. Today, December 9th, is the official GRAND OPENING!

Of course, I'm talking about the new Whole Foods on the Alameda!

As part of a media tour, they served us several delicious courses of food that you can easily find within the store itself. But I'm jumping ahead.

Here's a rundown of what I saw, heard, etc.. 

Parking:

It's been awhile since I've driven past Stockton/The Alameda area. I was driving down Stockton and completely passed up the parking lot entrance (oops) - so a quick u-turn later, I was back in business.

Decor:

The place is huge and it's quite pretty from the outside. It's not a stuffy looking grocery store. Colorful and modern design elements are everywhere. They used a lot of locally manufactured, reclaimed, and recycled materials to decorate the store. I loved it! 

Meat Department:

We learned about their rating system (displayed above the counter) -- the higher the number, the better that the animal was treated. Nice to know. 

Also, they have a big ole container full of bacon. 

Cheese Department:

They have many different kinds to choose from, and it is nice to know that if you are curious they'll bust one open for you on the spot and give you a taste. I picked up one package of a cranberry-orange cheese. I neglected to ask what the heck do I eat with that? Or what do I prepare it with? Next time I will ask.. and someone will tell me. Because that's how it works. ;)

The Berliners:

Custom-filled donuts made on the spot. Just for you. Maybe for your friends, if they're lucky.

Pizza:

Their official pizza dude (Matthew Driscoll) is on the U.S. Pizza Team. Look at him go!

Then I tasted their pizza - super yum. Did you see that fancy shmancy brick pizza oven too? Game nights are going to be filled with people buying some pizza or a hockey-themed (cute) sandwich and heading up the patio for a beer. (WHAT? Beer you say?! Keep reading...)

Microbrewery:

San Jose is home to the company's first on-site microbrewery and tap room in California called Mission Creek Brewing Company. 

"Mission Creek Brewing Company is located in a two story, 5,600 square-foot 'outbuilding' separate from the main store itself. The ground floor houses coffee and fresh juice bars, along with some seating. The second floor is home to the tap room, with eight bar seats, a birds-eye view of the brewery, and access to outdoor seating for around 75. A retractable roof and outdoor heating protect guests in inclement weather."

Neato, right? Here's the view from the patio.

As part of the tour/media day, we were treated to a three-course dinner (or .. is it five when you count the starter and dessert? I clearly don't have to many "course" meals…) The spread of tasty nibbles were delicious and the decor on the tables quite nice!

I have to say, everything was delicious. Not twisting my arm to say it at all. That's one of the things I really like about Whole Foods. If I was out running errands at one of my old jobs, I might find myself near the Hamilton location. I'd run in to their prepared foods section and try not to go too crazy buying things. They have a TON of delicious things to try. So I knew going in I was going to be enjoying my meal.

And lastly, we got a little sweet goodie bag with various products they carry in the store:

Now, some people flat out won't go to Whole Foods because products are not the cheapest in the land. No, they're not. You will be paying a decent amount for some products. But, don't let that stop you from ever going there. Buy some treats, try something new that nobody else carries. Want to make a nice gift basket for someone? This is a perfect place for that. Do you work downtown and want to grab a bite to eat - like I mentioned above, their prepared foods department (bakery, pizza and sandwiches, etc) have a ton of delicious options. Treat yourself! Or maybe you run a business nearby and you need to get some food for a client coming in for a lunch meeting? Swing by there and pick up a spread. If it's not your go-to grocery store, it certainly can be a place to stop by occasionally. Don't rule it out!

I'm hungry now just thinking about all the goodies.. so I'm gonna munch on some of my lemon pistachios.. or maybe a carrot cake cupcake.. 

Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/sanjose

Facebook: facebook.com/WFMSanJose.    

Instagram: @WholeFoodsMarketSanJose

ALSO!

From Dec. 11-24, the store is hosting “The Great Holiday Giveaway,” offering one gift with a value up to $200, via its Facebook page and http://thegreatholidaygiveaway.com.

Update: The Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Opens on December 9th!

The highly anticipated Whole Foods on The Alameda finally has a grand opening date! Mark your calendars for December 10th December 9th. Update: the grand opening has been pushed forward by a day! That is when both the grocery store and the two-story microbrewery/tap room open up. This will be the very first Whole Foods with an integrated microbrewery.

The store is grocery going to be 35,000 SQFT while the brewery building will clock in at 5,600 SQFT. There is a patio area connecting the two buildings which you can see in the photo below. The brewery will also have a coffee and fresh juice venue and a restaurant-style menu. 15 taps will be curated by an in-house brewmaster, which will host a wide variety of seasonal and local beers in addition to the signature brews made in house.

Whole Foods is also pursuing LEED certifications for the store given its many environmental initiatives. High recycled content bricks, reclaimed red cedar, and an onsite heat and power plant were all part of construction. 38 new trees were also planted on the street and parking lot, there are 4 electric vehicle charging stations, and low water plantings were used in order to reduce water usage.

This could really be a catalyst for The Alameda and West Downtown by the SAP Center. This opening gives residents within a few miles easy access to a high-end grocery store. This has been many years in the making--finally a Downtown Whole Foods is coming to fruition!

Source: Whole Foods Newsroom

Thanks to Alex Shoor and Andy Wasklewicz for sending this in!

WHOLE FOODS MARKET® OPENS NEW SAN JOSE STORE ON DECEMBER 9
New location on The Alameda features environmental innovation and company’s first in-store brewery in California

Emeryville, Calif. (Sept. 10, 2014) – A new 35,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market store will open on December 9th at 777 The Alameda (at Stockton) in San Jose, California. This is the second Whole Foods Market location in San Jose, and the 42nd in Northern California. The store will bring an estimated 150 new jobs to San Jose.

This new store will be home to the first in-store microbrewery and tap room for Whole Foods Market in California. The two-story, 5,600 square-foot brewery building will also house a coffee and fresh juice venue, as well as offering plenty of seating and a restaurant-style menu. An in-house brewmaster will create signature beers for the tap room, and a total of 15 taps will offer a wide variety of seasonal and local brews, as well as some nationally-available favorites.

Whole Foods Market San Jose is also innovating with this store via environmental initiatives. The company is pursuing LEED certification for the store, and this project is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient. Locally manufactured, reclaimed, recycled and low- to non-emitting materials are being used in construction including reclaimed Western Red Cedar siding, high recycled content tile from Fireclay (based locally), Forest Stewardship Council certified decking, and high recycled content bricks made in Sacramento. An onsite Combined Heat and Power plant will provide continuous electric and thermal power, reducing the store’s dependence on the public grid by around 90 percent. This is also one of only a few grocery stores in the nation that will use nearly 100% natural refrigerants by relying on a state-of-the-art CO2 refrigeration system.

Additional environmental features include:

38 new trees planted on the street and in the parking lot and plaza
Street light upgrade to energy-efficient  fixtures
Bio-filtration/retention for on-site storm water management
Four electric vehicle charging stations
Native Grasses and Wildflowers support local habitat
Low Water Plantings and drip irrigation reduce water usage
Jeff Giardinelli, who formerly ran Whole Foods Market’s Fresno store, has been hired as Store Team Leader. Michelle Hohmeier oversees local partnerships, sponsorships and charitable giving as the store’s Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader.

“We believe that while more and more people may be shopping online for groceries, there’s nothing that can replace the experience of sharing a great food destination with your friends. That’s why this new San Jose store is truly designed as a community gathering space,” said Giardinelli. “We’re hoping folks will stop by for a beer or a pizza on the way to or from a Sharks game, or that they’ll enjoy lunch in the breezeway. We’ve got plenty of space and are looking forward to serving this community with the highest-quality foods.”

As it brings redevelopment to the abandoned site within the Diridon Station Area Plan, the store will help create a dense, more walkable neighborhood. Five Percent Days, Nickels for Nonprofits, and food and fund drives will add to the store’s community support initiatives. Customers will find many local products on the shelves, too, as part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to supporting local makers and growers.

More information on the brewery, local vendors, community partnerships and store features is forthcoming. For updates, customers can follow the store at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.

The Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Opens on December 9th!

The highly anticipated Whole Foods on The Alameda finally has a grand opening date! Mark your calendars for December 10th December 9th. Update: the grand opening has been pushed forward by a day! That is when both the grocery store and the two-story microbrewery/tap room open up. This will be the very first Whole Foods with an integrated microbrewery.

The store is grocery going to be 35,000 SQFT while the brewery building will clock in at 5,600 SQFT. There is a patio area connecting the two buildings which you can see in the photo below. The brewery will also have a coffee and fresh juice venue and a restaurant-style menu. 15 taps will be curated by an in-house brewmaster, which will host a wide variety of seasonal and local beers in addition to the signature brews made in house.

Whole Foods is also pursuing LEED certifications for the store given its many environmental initiatives. High recycled content bricks, reclaimed red cedar, and an onsite heat and power plant were all part of construction. 38 new trees were also planted on the street and parking lot, there are 4 electric vehicle charging stations, and low water plantings were used in order to reduce water usage.

This could really be a catalyst for The Alameda and West Downtown by the SAP Center. This opening gives residents within a few miles easy access to a high-end grocery store. This has been many years in the making--finally a Downtown Whole Foods is coming to fruition!

Source: Whole Foods Newsroom

Thanks to Alex Shoor and Andy Wasklewicz for sending this in!

WHOLE FOODS MARKET® OPENS NEW SAN JOSE STORE ON DECEMBER 9
New location on The Alameda features environmental innovation and company’s first in-store brewery in California

Emeryville, Calif. (Sept. 10, 2014) – A new 35,000 square-foot Whole Foods Market store will open on December 9th at 777 The Alameda (at Stockton) in San Jose, California. This is the second Whole Foods Market location in San Jose, and the 42nd in Northern California. The store will bring an estimated 150 new jobs to San Jose.

This new store will be home to the first in-store microbrewery and tap room for Whole Foods Market in California. The two-story, 5,600 square-foot brewery building will also house a coffee and fresh juice venue, as well as offering plenty of seating and a restaurant-style menu. An in-house brewmaster will create signature beers for the tap room, and a total of 15 taps will offer a wide variety of seasonal and local brews, as well as some nationally-available favorites.

Whole Foods Market San Jose is also innovating with this store via environmental initiatives. The company is pursuing LEED certification for the store, and this project is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient. Locally manufactured, reclaimed, recycled and low- to non-emitting materials are being used in construction including reclaimed Western Red Cedar siding, high recycled content tile from Fireclay (based locally), Forest Stewardship Council certified decking, and high recycled content bricks made in Sacramento. An onsite Combined Heat and Power plant will provide continuous electric and thermal power, reducing the store’s dependence on the public grid by around 90 percent. This is also one of only a few grocery stores in the nation that will use nearly 100% natural refrigerants by relying on a state-of-the-art CO2 refrigeration system.

Additional environmental features include:

38 new trees planted on the street and in the parking lot and plaza
Street light upgrade to energy-efficient  fixtures
Bio-filtration/retention for on-site storm water management
Four electric vehicle charging stations
Native Grasses and Wildflowers support local habitat
Low Water Plantings and drip irrigation reduce water usage
Jeff Giardinelli, who formerly ran Whole Foods Market’s Fresno store, has been hired as Store Team Leader. Michelle Hohmeier oversees local partnerships, sponsorships and charitable giving as the store’s Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader.

“We believe that while more and more people may be shopping online for groceries, there’s nothing that can replace the experience of sharing a great food destination with your friends. That’s why this new San Jose store is truly designed as a community gathering space,” said Giardinelli. “We’re hoping folks will stop by for a beer or a pizza on the way to or from a Sharks game, or that they’ll enjoy lunch in the breezeway. We’ve got plenty of space and are looking forward to serving this community with the highest-quality foods.”

As it brings redevelopment to the abandoned site within the Diridon Station Area Plan, the store will help create a dense, more walkable neighborhood. Five Percent Days, Nickels for Nonprofits, and food and fund drives will add to the store’s community support initiatives. Customers will find many local products on the shelves, too, as part of Whole Foods Market’s commitment to supporting local makers and growers.

More information on the brewery, local vendors, community partnerships and store features is forthcoming. For updates, customers can follow the store at facebook.com/WFMSanJose.

Fourth Annual “Stroll The Alameda” Wine & Beer Stroll

This Sunday come sample local wines and craft brews along the Alameda while checking out 17 different businesses participating in the 4th Annual "Stroll the Alameda." In addition to great drinks, you'll have music, painting, and other activities. Tickets are only $25 in advance and include a souvenir glass. As usual, the details are below.

Hat-tip to our friend Alex Shoor for sending this in (and congrats on joining the Shasta / Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association board).

When: Sunday, August 24, 2014 from 2pm to 5pm

What: The Shasta/Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association (S/HPNA) and Alameda Business Association (ABA) will co-host the fourth annual Stroll The Alameda Wine & Beer Stroll. Local businesses along The Alameda are paired with a local winery or local kraft brewery. Participants in the Stroll will receive a souvenir glass and a map for participating business along a condensed stretch of The Alameda in San Jose between Hester and Atlas.

Where: Browse 17 business locations along The Alameda while tasting some of the best beer and wine the local area has to offer. For a complete and updated listing of participating businesses, visit www.strollthealameda.com.

Tickets: The Stroll the Alameda Wine & Beer Stroll tickets are $25 in advance or $35 on the day of the event. Tickets include a souvenir glass and wine and/or beer tastings. Advance tickets are available at www.strollthealameda.com. Day of event tickets can be purchased at the check-in booth in front of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Enjoy many activities for all ages during the event. The lawn at Westminster will serve as the central entertainment hub with a band playing on the steps, live painting, face painting, as well as many other activities. Bring the family, a blanket, and enjoy a lovely day along The Alameda. Additionally, several businesses will feature music at their location. Use #strollthealameda to share your event photos!

For more information: strollthealameda@shpna.org or www.strollthealameda.com

Tee Nee Thai Celebration

A beloved restaurant on The Alameda that burned down over two years ago is having their grand re-opening party this Friday, June 27th starting at 6:30pm. The festivities will include a procession along The Alameda with Thai dancers, food, and even wine tasting hosted by San Jose's own J. Lohr Winery. For all the info on Tee Nee Thai's celebration, check out the press release below:

PAC*SJ Summer Walking Tours!

The Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC*SJ) will be doing three walking tours this summer. They will be in the Vendome neighborhood, Palm Haven and North Willow Glen, and also a stroll down The Alameda. All tours will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays. More information and advance tickets for the set or individual tours are available on the website http://www.preservation.org/events/walkingtours/tickets2014.html

You can also purchase tickets on the day of the tour if slots are available by arriving about 10 minutes early. Individual tickets are $10 for members of PAC*SJ and $15 for the general public. It is $25/$35 for the complete set.

Vendome, June 14

This walk shows six decades of San Jose homes on only four streets. 

The tour will begin at Ryland Park near First Street. There are some parking spaces in the Ryland Park lot and along San Pedro, but parking east of First Street or taking Light Rail to Ayer is recommended. In the park, we’ll learn a little history about San Jose and how the neighborhood filled in over time. The biggest growth spurt was during the 1930’s when the property of the Vendome Hotel became available for development. After we visit the Rotary Ryland Pool, we’ll stroll through the southern half of the neighborhood to see the homes. The architecture includes Victorian, Craftsman, Prairie style, Tudor, art moderne, and a wide variety of Spanish styles.

Palm Haven and North Willow Glen, June 28

This tour begins at the corner of Fuller and Bird in North Willow Glen where is more street parking available. We’ll pass some interesting homes on Bird, before going through Palm Haven. Palm Haven was laid out in 1913 with a border of Mexican Fan Palms. The earliest homes were all substantial. Later homes on the outer streets are more varied in size. Many famous civic and business leaders lived in Palm Haven, as well as artists and architects, most notably in the Wolfe family. 

The Alameda, July 12

The tour begins at the corner of Emory and the Alameda, across from the Central Y. The resources for this tour are The Alameda: The Beautiful Way and the Alameda Right of Way Context Statement produced by the City. 

The Alameda is the piece of the El Camino Real that ran between Mission Santa Clara and Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe. The name comes from the shade trees that were planted along the route. On the first part of the tour, we’ll look at the prominent homes along the street and discuss some of the ones that are now gone. We’ll learn about some prominent people in city history. Later we’ll walk through a resurgent business area and talk about the past – and future – changes to the landscape.

The narrative will be finished as we approach Stockton Street after a 1 mile walk, so depending on the heat and how individuals are feeling, there is the option to take the #22 or #522 bus back to the starting point. They both run every 15 minutes.

Tee Nee Thai Restaurant Re-openeing in June

A beloved Thai restaurant on The Alameda that way destroyed by a fire over a year ago is about to reopen. Immediately after the fire, the Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood came together and held a fundraiser at its sister restaurant, House of Siam Downtown, and helped raise money for the re-build.

The new restaurant will have the same address at 1423 The Alameda, but will be substantially redesigned. The original restaurant had a seating capacity of around 40. The new restaurant will be able to seat up to 86 across a main dining room, a brand new sidewalk cafe, and a Thai-themed outdoor patio. The kitchen is being extended out by nine feet, it is getting two new ADA compliant restrooms, and the front windows will be enlarged to allow for more window seating.

I don't have an opening date yet, but it should be sometime in June with the back-patio being completed in July.

Source: The Merc, hat tip to Alex Shoor for sending this in!

New Mixed-Use Development Coming to The Alameda!

A six-story building with 140 apartments, around 10,000 SQFT of retail, and 10,000 SQFT of second-floor office space is coming to the Alameda right next to the new Whole Foods. It's a transit-oriented project near Diridon and right on the border of Downtown. In fact, I would consider this to be a part of the Downtown area--which seems to be pushing outwards in all directions.

This is the first project that the developer Chandler Pratt & Partners is doing in the Bay Area, but if it goes well you can expect more. They are specifically looking for "high-quality infill sites" which is exactly what we need to focus on in San Jose.

The total cost of the Alameda project will be around $60 million and the plan is to break ground Spring 2015.

Source: SVBJ

On The Cusp Pop-up Shop @ Black & Brown

Shona Sanzgiri is a writer/editor from San Jose that has been commuting between New York and here for the last six months. He's trying to bring some elements from New York over here in a variety of projects. His latest one is a pop-up shop at Black & Brown on the Alameda  featuring the work of clothing designers, artists, photographers, and writers from both NYC and SJ.

Some of the items will include limited prints, photographs, clothing, accessories, and random curios & tchotchkes from places like Bombay's Thieves Bazaar, a photo-book by Diane Keaton, a napkin Harmony Korine once drew on, etc.

The pop-up shop will be open for two weeks starting March 22nd. The opening reception will run from 5pm to 8pm tomorrow and feature food & refreshments by Dena Cooks (Tunisian Table, America's Test Kitchen). For more info you can check out the On The Cusp website.

Whole Foods Breaks Ground Tomorrow!

This has been a long time coming--Whole Foods is finally starting construction of their store on the Alameda a stones-throw away from Downtown San Jose! Shovels hit the ground tomorrow. The project consists of a 27,291 SQFT grocery store with a separate 5,6000 SQFT two-story brewery (the first in the Whole Foods chain).

A lot of people doubted that this would move forward, so it is nice to see this actually come to fruition. Everyone that lives near The Alameda or Downtown should be thrilled!

Source: SVBJ

Downtown Whole Foods Design Update

Happy Friday! On Tuesday we feasted on a substantial improvement in the design of One South Market. Well, today we have another treat for you to bookend the week. The design has been updated for the new Whole Foods coming to the border of The Alameda and Downtown San Jose in 2014. It looks like they incorporated quite a bit of feedback when it comes to making the building more engaging for people walking by. Here are some of the changes that I noticed:

• Outdoor patio seating on the ground floor corner. This is in addition to the covered outdoor seating on the second floor (where the roof has been raised in this latest design). By the way, this building is going to host the first craft brewery to be built into a Whole Foods.
• New vertical sign at the corner.
• More colorful facade with more windows.
• Huge dormer windows on the roof of the Alameda side.

I can't wait until this opens!

Hat tip to C.L.

Source: Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association Facebook Page

Old Design







New Design

Downtown San Jose Whole Foods Updates

Last week at City Hall there was community meeting to go over the new Whole Foods breaking ground in 2013 on the corner of The Alameda and Stockton. It sounds like there was some push-back from the community on a long corrugated steel wall that would face the Alameda and have no windows. As you might guess, having a giant empty wall on a major thoroughfare is not ideal for vibrancy on the street. The good news is that the design process is still in progress and there is time for revisions.

Now, for some really good news. There will be a two-story building anchoring the corner of The Alameda and Stockton that will contain a brew pub and restaurant. This will be the very first brewery to be a part of a Whole Foods and the plan is for it to continue to stay open late even after the grocery store closes. There will also be a patio between this building and the main building, designed as an area where the community can gather. Parking should not be a problem with 141 spaces in the back (will be interesting to see how they prevent people going to the HP Pavilion from parking here).

The entire project should be done by 2014, which I have a feeling will be a banner year for Downtown.

Source: The Merc

Improvements to The Alameda Kicking off Soon

The Alameda near Downtown San Jose is about to get $3.9M worth of renovations. There will be new median strips, LED lighting, and safer crosswalks. Most of this will be paid for by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission with about 20% coming from the city of San Jose. The renovations kick off in September and will be capped off with a repaving of the entire street from the HP Pavilion to 880.

If the business owners along the strip are willing to pay for maintenance in the future, they may at some point also add flowing plants, new benches, and extensive landscaping across the sidewalks. After all this is completed, the Alameda could become a very nice walkable district. It's already home to many great retails spots, including The Usuals, Crema, La Dolce Velo, Wine Affairs, and The Arsenal.

Source: The Merc