Upscale organic and natural food chain, Whole Foods, plans to plant its next chain in Detroit. The retail giant that has historically placed its locations in predominantly white neighborhoods surprised many by making the announcement on Friday. According to the Associated Press, the Austin, Texas-based retailer plans to open a 20,000-square-foot supermarket with about 75 employees in Detroit's Midtown area next year.
Prompted by the growing population and businesses moving in, the store will be in the neighborhood of Wayne State University, the Detroit Medical Center, and cultural institutions such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and Orchestra Hall. "This is going to be a whole Whole Foods store,” said Whole Foods co-Chief Executive Walter Robb. “You're getting our 'A' game here," he told the Detroit Economic Club. "You're not going to get anything less than our very best." Detroit, which will also get a Twitter office this year, currently has an unemployment rate of 17.8 percent.
