A symbol of urbanist affluence is getting its first reality check. 2017 has not been kind to brock and mortar retailers.
"Whole Foods Market Inc., facing its worst sales slump in more than a decade, is taking a step that would have been unthinkable in its highflying days: shrinking the size of the chain," reports Craig Giammona.
Long the subject of gentrification fears and concerns about the expense of its products, Whole Foods now joins the ranks of retailers dealing with bad fiscal news and reducing the footprint of their operations in 2017. According to Giammona, the explanation for Whole Foods' struggles can be traced to "competition from mainstream supermarkets, including Kroger Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which began offering more organic fare in recent years."
If you need a musical interlude to lift your spirits after receiving such distressing organic-food-related news, here's a reminder about "It's Getting Real in the Whole Foods Parking Lot," a song and video that picked up a large amount of viral success back in 2011.
FULL STORY: Whole Foods to Shrink Store Count for First Time Since 2008
Recent Retail Closures in U.S. Cities Follow Trends Established Before the Pandemic
While some cling to debatable claims about higher crime rates as the cause for recent high-profile store closures in U.S. downtowns, the real reasons are more realistically extensions of the causes of the “retail apocalypse” from the before times.
Retail Apocalypse Blazes New Trails
The demise of a beloved outdoors gear chain in Southern California suggests that no store is safe in America's high-priced cities.
Whole Foods and Amazon: Lessons from Walmart
The question of whether Amazon's ownership of Whole Foods will make opportunities, or take them away, is still up for debate.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service