New Rockville Whole Foods. What do you think?

[Anonymous]

I used to shop at The Fresh Market in NC. I really loved it. The produce was great.

[Anonymous]

I have not gone (right up the street from me) but just by the looks of all the crap they just put in there I would think 1) parking is going to be terrible and 2) its going to be crowded as hell in there unless its a huge store which I could not tell from the pike. I also cannot understand why someone would want to buy a condo in the building rihgt on top of all the junk they just put in there.

[Anonymous]

Is the underground parking free or paid? I refuse to pay to grocery shop!! (my old target in VA had a paid lot!)

[Anonymous]

The new store is in North Bethesda across from White Flint and it is twice the square footage of the now closed Congressional Plaza WF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the underground parking free or paid? I refuse to pay to grocery shop!! (my old target in VA had a paid lot!)

Just went yesterday - first two hours are free for parking in the underground lot. Even in all the traffic (I went at 5:45) I had no trouble finding a space, and there were plenty of cashiers available so that I stood in line for less than 5 minutes to check out. Yes, it was a LOT of traffic, but it was handled exceedingly well. The traffic is to be expected for this grand opening - and Seasons 52 - the new restaurant there - also opened yesterday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is the underground parking free or paid? I refuse to pay to grocery shop!! (my old target in VA had a paid lot!)

Just went yesterday - first two hours are free for parking in the underground lot. Even in all the traffic (I went at 5:45) I had no trouble finding a space, and there were plenty of cashiers available so that I stood in line for less than 5 minutes to check out. Yes, it was a LOT of traffic, but it was handled exceedingly well. The traffic is to be expected for this grand opening - and Seasons 52 - the new restaurant there - also opened yesterday.

Thats good to know that they are efficient and two free hours of parking. As for the restaurant Seasons, I looked at the website and menu and it looks really pricey for the food they offered!

[Anonymous]

I actually thought a Fresh Market might come to CP because the space seems about right for their stores. There is one near my parent's house in Baltimore. It is fine if you need a few quick healthy things but you will not be able to get a shopping list done. Also, I'm not sure what they will do with this one but the one in Baltimore has NO baby products (food or otherwise) in the whole store which seems like a big gap to me. That might be different in a location like CP where you are surrounded by stores geared towards children. For those who like WF, I think you'll be disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Haven't been to the new WF at North Bethesda Marketplace, but I read that it is almost twice the size of the old store.

You just had to get that North Bethesda reference in there, didn't you.

It's the name of the complex where the new WF is... get a life.

[Anonymous]

There is a Fresh Market where my parents live in Va. For them, it is a lovely, upscale/gourmet grocery that really fills a gap - otherwise, they have a large Harris Teeter and many Food Lions.

But between Whole Foods and Balducci's, I don't know why anyone would go to Fresh Market - unless they were going to be at CP anyway.

I'm another one who LOVES MOM's and wishes they would move - but my guess is that CP rents are too high. I would hate for them to shut down the free coffee!

[Anonymous]

Does Fresh Market focus on organic?

[Anonymous]

where exactly is this? Is it on the same side of Rockville Pike as white flint? Or across the pike?

[Anonymous]

I have been to the Fresh Market in CT, and FL. It is a semi-gourmet grocery food store. Not advertised as organic/healthy, but obviously has fresh produce, and other healthy items, too. They have a great selection of nuts, candies in bins-to buy by the pound, and some good food in the prepared section. Good selection of unique greeting cards, too. You can get some standard things there, too; soda, skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:where exactly is this? Is it on the same side of Rockville Pike as white flint? Or across the pike?

Directly across from the mall. There's an LA Fitness and Seasons restaurant right on the Pike, and WF is behind them.

[Anonymous]

The underground parking is horrendous. Little narrow lanes to drive in, two hours free but you have to go through a gate and get a ticket. Then go up the elevator to the store. So every time I go to Whole Foods, I have to park in the garage, ride up the elevator, come down the elevator with my cart, push the cart through a maze with parked cars on one side of me and moving cars inches from me on the other side, open my door halfway to put the bags in because the car parked next to me is so close in those narrow spaces, then go back across the maze to get rid of the empty cart?

I don't think so.

[Anonymous]

I think it's great! There are such lousy grocery options around here so I welcome a larger Whole Foods. I've also been to Fresh Market in Baltimore. It's a fine store, but I agree with a previous poster that I'm not really sure why you would go there with so many other options unless you were already at Congressional. You would not be able to do all your shopping there.