Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first New York City store by ringing the Nasdaq opening bell and announcing the location of its second small-format store planned for the city.
The 2004 opening of the Columbus Circle Whole Foods flagship store marked a major step in the company’s expansion into New York; now the retailer has 17 locations and 5,000 team members in the city.
Earlier this year, Whole Foods unveiled a smaller-format store, called the Whole Foods Market Daily, that will pave the way for further urban expansion. The first Daily shop is set to open on the Upper East Side at 1175 Third Avenue this fall, and a second future location has now been announced at 301 West 50th Street in Hell’s Kitchen. Whole Foods also said in a statement that a third NYC location, and plans for national rollout of the concept, will be detailed soon.
“Today, we’re not just reflecting on our impact in New York City over the past two decades; we’re also looking forward to an exciting future of continuing growth in a city that has embraced Whole Foods Market with such enthusiasm,” said Jason Buechel, Whole Foods Market CEO in a statement. “It made perfect sense for us to launch a new store format right here. Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will conveniently bring our high-quality natural and organic food to even more New York City customers.”
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Whole Foods Market Daily shops will feature a variety of fresh seasonal produce, prepared foods and grocery essentials. Both of the planned New York City locations also will feature Juice & Java, a venue for coffee, smoothies and quick eats.
Each small-format Whole Foods will range in size from 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, about one-quarter to one-half the footprint of the retailer’s typical 40,000-square-foot store. The format is designed to bring fresh, high-quality ingredients to customers with a convenience that fits urban lifestyles.
Whole Foods Market currently has more than 530 stores in the U.S., UK and Canada, with more than 75 additional stores in development.
