Whole Foods Market Inc. is set to throw open its doors for the grand opening of the chain's newest location at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30.
The 37,000-square-foot store, on the east side of Texas 99 (the Grand Parkway) at Fry Road, anchors the 122,000-square-foot Grand Lakes Marketplace, which includes a Stein Mart department store and a Cost Plus World Market.
Whole Foods spokeswoman Mary Langdon said the chain, whose newest Texas stores are the Katy site and one in Addison, north of Dallas, is excited about locating in the fast-growing Katy area.
"We've been looking at the Katy community for quite a while," Langdon said, "and we've been excited about it for quite a while. Katy is a growing community, and it's such a great community."
Langdon said the store comes partially at the request of area residents who expressed a desire to have the up-scale grocery store in the area.
"We've had a lot of people ask for this," Langdon said. "A lot of people have told me how pleased they are the store is here."
The store is to officially open after a 7:30 a.m. ceremonial bread breaking with store officials and local dignitaries participating, Langdon said.
"We have a huge loaf of bread being baked by Houston Bakehouse, our bakery in Houston, and everyone will take a piece. The Houston Bakehouse is where we get our fresh breads from, along with several vendors."
Additionally, gift cards in amounts from $5 to $200 will be handed out to the first 100 customers at the grand opening, food and beverages will be offered and, Langdon said, vendors will be prepared with samples of their products.
"We have a lot planned," she said, "including making the first five days 1 percent days.
"Each of the first five days will be dedicated to a local nonprofit organization which will get 1 percent of that day's profits. On Jan. 30, that nonprofit is Katy Independent School District's Education Foundation.
"On Thursday, Jan. 31, we will be giving 1 percent to the Katy Prairie Conservancy; on Feb. 1, Katy Christian Ministries is our nonprofit, Feb. 2 is ARTreach and, finally, Feb. 3 is the Katy Family YMCA."
Katy Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Ann Hodge said the store can be seen as a feather in Katy's cap, echoing the growth which has marked the Katy area for years.
"The continued growth in the Katy area is something to be envied by other areas. At the same time, it brings a desire for greater options and Whole Foods brings that option," Hodge said.
"We've been working with them for quite some time," Hodge said. "Actually, they reached out to a number of vendors in the area and brought them in so the vendors could set up taste tests of their products. It's quite a diverse group of vendors."
The Katy area surrounding the store location, said Lance LaCour, Katy Area Economic Development Council president/CEO, offers demographics "among the best in the Houston region" with average household income levels exceeding $120,000.
The company's fourth-quarter earnings report shows 316 stores and it recently signed nine new leases in Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma and London, England.
"No matter how much Katy has grown, it's retained that small-town community feeling," Hodge said. "I think Whole Foods has already found out what a close-knit community we are. The greatest secret about Katy is that we're family. I'm looking forward to a really great partner in the community."
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