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Will arugula and tattoos go together in Whole Foods' new concept?

February 12, 2016Written by George Anderson

Whole Foods is looking to broaden the appeal of its new 365 concept by making space available within its stores for complementary businesses that appeal to Millennials. According to Whole Foods' Friends of 365 website, these businesses — which could include body care products, fashion, food and drinks, record shops and tattoo parlors — will "bring their special mojo" to the new stores. Whole Foods is looking for both start-ups and established businesses to take space within the 365 stores or their patios that have values and standards that align with its own. In the end, Friends will need to be "hip and cool for sure." In keeping with its goal of attracting Millennials, the Friends of 365 site includes a crowdsourcing element with videos from businesses seeking space in Whole Foods' new concept. While the voting has finished, the site said it would invite up to 20 businesses to its headquarters in Austin to make a pitch for why their businesses make sense in the new stores. Back in July, Whole Foods announced it had signed five leases for the new concept in Bellevue, WA; Houston, TX; Portland, OR; Santa Monica, CA and the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. This month it announced signing five new leases in Evergreen Park, Illinois; Gainesville, Florida; and Concord, Claremont and Los Alamitos, California, bringing its current total to 13. Whole Foods plans to have 10 stores open before October of 2017. "We have assembled an amazing team of people who have been working tirelessly to create an innovative shopping experience that will appeal to new and existing Whole Foods Market customers," said Jeff Turnas, president of 365 by Whole Foods Market. "We are all eagerly awaiting the opportunity to introduce 365 by Whole Foods Market with the opening of our first store in Los Angeles in [May] just over 100 days."

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