Perhaps Gawker best captured the role of Whole Foods Market Oakland in the local ecosystem when it ran an article headlined "What Have Protesters Done to Oakland’s Beloved Whole Foods?" 1 at the height of the Occupy Oakland times.
Whole Foods Market Oakland, where the glory of Oakland's multicultural leisure classes buy vegetables and almond milk on late weekend mornings in jogging or yoga pants. Whole Foods Market Oakland, where tempeh is always on the salad bar. Whole Foods Market Oakland, where the local coffee shelves are not graced by the presence of Peerless Coffee. Whole Foods Market Oakland, where we all stand in front of the fancy 40s rack, silent museum looks on all of our faces.
In the inter-Thanksgiving-Christmas time, two refrigerated shipping containers settle down in front of Whole Foods. Generators humming, the containers house not just frozen turkeys but entire frozen meals that you can buy wholesale. Catch them before they leave for warmer climes after January 1st.
Whole Foods Market Oakland, located at 230 Bay Place, is open from 8AM-10PM.
In the news: Site of Oakland's Whole Foods has complex history, by Annalee Allen.