New Whole Foods in Kailua - Opening 4/18/2012!

 

Whole Foods Market boasts “the finest natural and organic foods available. No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or added transfats” in the store. “Just fresh and delicious choices to satisfy and delight!” I am looking forward to the fresh food bar, which presents Kailua with a new lunch and dinner alternative.

The Kailua Chamber of Commerce, of which I am a member, heard a presentation from Whole Foods last year that talked about the focus of the store, being local of course. They explained that the items sold would be particular to Kailuan tastes and notably different from the Kahala store. Items sold would include as many Hawaii-based farm items and other products as possible. They also promised to bring many Kailua residents working in the Kahala store, and Kama’aina employees on Maui and in mainland locations home to Oahu, to work in the Kailua store.

The opening of Whole Foods in Kailua is all part of the rejuvenation of the downtown Kailua area. Many old storefronts have been torn down and newer buildings have gone in in their places.

The developer of much of the Kailua Town area, Kaneohe Ranch, has done its best to ensure that the area is being developed with a small town Hawaiian plantation feel, though this building in particular has the modern city loft style twist, typical to Whole Foods Markets.  These buildings have a much nicer feel than the old buildings, which could have only be described as mid-century ugly.

As you can see here, in the photos, the Whole Foods building and also, many of the others in the area incorporate both a “green” and artistic feel. For example, the Kailua Whole Foods has a living wall of plants on its exterior facing Kailua Road. (See right.)The Kailua Whole Foods store also features several large mosaics. (See above).

Other tenants in the Whole Foods building include “The Executive Chef” a cooking and kitchen equipment and tool supply store.
This is a great spot, which is fun to both browse and buy, because it has just about everything you can think of related to cooking. There is another Executive Chef store outside Kailua, in Honolulu at Ward Center.

Executive Chef Kailua is a bit like a Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table, but is locally based and it does yet not feature its own branded items. The focus is one cookware, kitchen appliances and specialty gadgets. Notably, it has a really large inventory of specialty baking items such as cookie cutters. They also carry some gourmet food items and gift certificates are available. What I would like to see offered there, that is not, however, are cooking classes.

The Fighting Eel is another store flanking Whole Foods in Kailua. This is also a locally-based business, selling casually chic womens clothing. Their other location is in the Downtown/Chinatown Arts District area in Honolulu. A Paul Brown salon and a bathing suit store will also be other tenants in the building.

Right at the center of Kailua Town, this will be THE place to be (when not at lovely Kailua Beach). What a great new retail space! Another great reason to live and play in Kailua! Aloha.