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Business

Nine Months of Whole Foods News: A Look Back

Ever since the JP Gazette broke the news in January that Whole Foods planned to come to Hyde Square, its been the talk of the neighborhood — and, to a surprising degree, the nation.

By Chris Helms
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October 31, 2011

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A montage of media coverage of Whole Foods coming to JP.

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A montage of media coverage of Whole Foods coming to JP.

Credit Chris Helms

Credit Patrick E. O'Connor

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This morning, Whole Foods Market opened its Jamaica Plain store. That capped a nine-month flurry of media coverage that began when the JP Gazette broke the story on Jan. 19, 2011 that the upscale grocer would replace Hi-Lo Foods. The owners of the property, Knapp Foods, signed a long-term lease with Whole Foods. Here are some of the highlights of that coverage, both from JP Patch and elsewhere.

"A Whole Foods Fight in Boston" — The Wall Street Journal weighed in with a report showing that many Latino small business owners support Whole Foods' arrival.
Of course, you can visit the store now. But over the weekend, Whole Foods offered media tours to, among others, blogger Steve Garfield, the JP For All/JP Para Todos Facebook page, the Boston Globe, JP Patch and El Mundo, whose offices are just around the corner from the store.
"Whole Foods and the Future of Jamaica Plain" — Radio Boston's coverage included this April roundtable with supporters and detractors of the new store.
"Police Arrest Three Persons, Shut Down 'Town Hall' Meeting" — Whole Foods held a meeting at the Curley School in June, which police shut down after protesters had hung one banner from a balcony and then attempted to unfurl another one in the auditorium. This JP Patch report garnered 348 comments, the most of any story published thus far on JP Patch.
The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council took a central role in the debate over Whole Foods coming. The volunteer advisory board narrowly voted in March to support a statement that Whole Foods was "not a good fit" for Hyde Square. The group then started an ad-hoc committee which, after much debate, released a report containing recommendations. In the end, Whole Foods rejected the JPNC's desire for working out a formal Community Benefits Agreement, saying they would use their normal policies on giving back to the communities where they have stores.
State Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, who represents JP, waded into the debate. Initially she called on Whole Foods to break its lease unless it created a fund to help mitigate the potential negative effects of gentrification. She later backed off that position, saying that as a senator she had no power to interfere in a private transaction.
Opponents, saying Whole Foods would worsen the negative effects of gentrification, created a lot of their own media, including videos. It is collected at the Whose Foods? Whose Community? Web site.

For a complete archive of JP Patch coverage of Whole Foods, please see the Whole Foods topic page.

Related Topics: Business, Gentrification, Hyde Square, Media, and Whole Foods

What were the best, most insightful pieces you saw? You can add links below. Tell us in the comments.

Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.

James

1:55 pm on Monday, October 31, 2011

Like any junkie, the Patch, wracked by diminishing returns, goes for "just one more fix."

Em

2:09 pm on Monday, October 31, 2011

This is actually relevant. It's been an ongoing story for months and this is looking back since today is opening day. Good job, Patch!

Whole Foods is Open in JP, Two Days Earlier Than Planned

By Chris Helms

42.321125

-71.110406

Whole Foods is Open in JP, Two Days Earlier Than Planned

413 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

Whole Foods Market Jamaica Plain

/articles/whole-foods-opens-early-in-jamaica-plain

/locations/5706299
Who is Knapp Foods?

By James LaFond-Lewis

42.321083

-71.110433

Who is Knapp Foods?

415 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

For decades, this was Hi-Lo Foods. The land is owned by Knapp Foods.

/articles/who-is-knapp-foods

/locations/3456842

42.358388

-71.184911

Who is Knapp Foods?

275 Centre St, Newton, MA

Knapp Foods office (or at least where it is listed to be)

/articles/who-is-knapp-foods

/locations/3456843
PHOTOS: A First Look Inside Whole Foods Market JP

By Erika Diaz

42.321083

-71.110433

PHOTOS: A First Look Inside Whole Foods Market JP

415 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

Whole Foods Market to open Nov. 2, 2011

/articles/four-days-and-counting

/locations/5699581
Police Arrest Three Persons, Shut Down Whole Foods "Town Hall" Meeting

By Chris Helms and Karla Vallance

42.319085

-71.113489

Police Arrest Three Persons, Shut Down Whole Foods "Town Hall" Meeting

Curley K-8 School

40 Pershing Rd, Jamaica Plain, MA

/articles/police-arrest-three-persons-shut-down-whole-foods-town-hall-meeting

1409889

/locations/4553339
Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Votes that Whole Foods is "Not a Good Fit for Hyde Square" / Ver Traducción Abajo

By Cristina Rojas

42.313598

-71.114061

Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Votes that Whole Foods is "Not a Good Fit for Hyde Square" / Ver Traducción Abajo

First Baptist Church In Jamaica Plain

633 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

/articles/jamaica-plain-neighborhood-council-votes-that-whole-foods-is-not-a-good-fit-for-hyde-square

766730

/locations/3627895

42.321083

-71.110433

Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council Votes that Whole Foods is "Not a Good Fit for Hyde Square" / Ver Traducción Abajo

Hi-Lo Foods

415 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

/articles/jamaica-plain-neighborhood-council-votes-that-whole-foods-is-not-a-good-fit-for-hyde-square

766779

/locations/3627896
Ad Hoc Committee on Whole Foods Releases Report (PDF)

By Chris Helms

42.321083

-71.110433

Ad Hoc Committee on Whole Foods Releases Report (PDF)

Hi-Lo Foods

415 Centre St, Jamaica Plain, MA

Whole Foods plans to open here in late fall 2011.

/articles/ad-hoc-committee-on-whole-foods-releases-report-pdf

766779

/locations/4724779