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| - I have a soft spot for Whole Foods. I think it gets a bad rap, which I think is largely unfair. I love food, and I know that sometimes things are legitimately "overpriced," but just because something is expensive doesn't mean it isn't worth the cost. So I don't believe in rating Whole Foods low just because their organic produce, ethically raised meat, and super hard-to-find ethnic ingredients cost money. Nice things cost money.
This is not one of the glorious meccas - the Whole Foods in Lincoln Park in Chicago is definitely one of those - but this one is all right. Pretty decent produce selection, and they always have some fun, mysterious finds. I like their seasonal treats like meyer lemons, and their well-priced organic local produce throughout the summer. Small fish and meat counter, but the quality is excellent. My coworkers love the soups, and we all really enjoy the salad bar. I love that I can find really unusual things here - their Asian section is small, but they always seem to have what I need. And the prices on the Whole Foods store brand are really not that bad! Seriously, like a can of beans will only set you back 99 cents, not that different from your Giant Eagle. You can find affordable products here if you take the time.
I wish their bulk section was bigger, and I wish they had bulk spices because those make my life amazing. Whole Foods is like, where I want to do all my shopping when I grow up. I hate shopping at Giant Eagle, because there's no love and respect for the product. It's just crap, and OVERPRICED crap spilling out of the aisles, begging for your attention. Whole Foods has a lot of specialty products, made and sold by people who love to eat, and love to cook. There's respect for the ingredients here. To me, that's the best sign of a good grocery store.
If you don't have a lot of cash, like me, then it's good to only shop here when you need to (like for a weird cut of meat, some kind of unusual hot pepper or mushroom, flavored oil, rare cheese). Every time you come, buy something new, just for fun. There are so many surprises here! I just wish it was bigger.
And yes, the parking lot is small and crowded, but like - so what? Park in the back and walk a few extra feet. It's not a big deal.
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