Whole Foods finally about groceries, not lawsuits

The most popular store in Greater Rochester that had never sold even one piece of merchandise finally opened this morning.

Whole Foods Market in Brighton welcomed an early rush of shoppers at 7 a.m., and a steady stream of customers flowed into the store throughout the morning.

Selling only groceries that are free of ingredients deemed unhealthy and unnecessary, and featuring an extensive selection of organic goods, Whole Foods has become popular across the country as an alternative to traditional grocers.

“When you shop Whole Foods, you know your foods are free from 237 ingredients you don’t want,” said John Lawson, senior local forager for the grocer’s northeast region. “We’re the only one that vets products first based on what’s in the ingredients.”

Among the features of the 50,000-square-foot store that sits along Monroe Avenue, just south of the Interstate 590 interchange:

» An in-house veggie butcher, slicing and dicing up to five fruits and vegetables to customer preferences, for free;

» A full-service meat and seafood counter;

» A specialty department celebrating cheesemakers and artisan producers;

» A curated grocery section with the grocer’s private label 365 by Whole Foods Market as well as local sauces, pastas and kombucha;

» A bakery featuring nearly two dozen varieties of bread sourced from Village Bakery of Pittsford.

» A prepared foods section that includes a hot food bar, pizza counter, salad bar and a soup station that would make Joseph Campbell envious.

What you won’t find: a witness stand and a judicial bench.

A bevy of neighborhood groups, at least one with the financial backing of Wegmans Food Markets, for years fought tirelessly through the court system to derail development of the $39 million Whole Foods plaza by the Daniele Family Companies.

Their lawsuits cited traffic and safety concerns along Monroe Avenue, contended the town of Brighton failed to adhere to permitting requirements, claimed state law was violated because parkland is being used for private enterprise, and that the parties bypassed a requisite public referendum.

So far, every state Supreme Court justice has dismissed those claims. That includes an 11th-hour request in appellate court on Tuesday afternoon for a temporary restraining order by Save Monroe Ave Inc. and Brighton Grassroots.

The groups wanted to prevent Whole Foods from opening today, citing irreparable harm due to infringement on a recreational trail. But Justice Donald A. Greenwood refused to grant the order, clearing the way for commerce at the newest retailer in Brighton. One appeal still must be heard in the coming months.

“We’ve been fighting the politics of this for almost seven years now,” said Danny Daniele, president of Daniele Family Companies. “I think all these lawsuits may have backfired. The whole county knew Whole Foods was opening today. If it wasn’t for all that publicity, it would have been just the opening of another store.”

Whole Foods is not, however, just another grocer. The business model infuses local into the product lines, with as much as 10 percent of shelves at the Brighton store stocked with produce, sauces and dairy products from area entrepreneurs.

“Local has been one of our core values from the beginning,” said Veronica Delia, senior corporate communications specialist for Whole Foods.

That’s why you can find items such as Bozza pasta, Bold and Gritty and Joe Bean coffee, Seaway Trail honey, Once Again peanut butter, Rubino’s sauces, and Agbotic organic produce.

“This is such a great area for local produce,” Lawson said. “This is going to be one of our strongest stores for produce.”

The local theme extends beyond the store walls, too. Whole Foods has its own Local Producer Loan Program, providing low-interest loans to brands with a proven business model that are looking to grow. The program has supported 365 businesses with $28 million in loans across the country.

“It’s a way to support local suppliers who are supporting us,” Lawson said.

The grand opening was an event. Customers snapped selfies with the store in the background and Brighton Police and private security provided traffic control.

The store is home to 128 employees, 114 of whom were hired from the community. Daniele said he was “surprised that the Wegmans-funded group sought the last-minute temporary restraining order,” since it could have kept those 114 employees from being able to work.

“Just commercial competition politics,” Daniele said. “But we’re obviously elated that Whole Foods was finally able to unlock the doors and give people a healthy food option.

“I think this is a huge win for the community, for Brighton and for the county. To have new development — whether it’s a taco stand, a car wash or a book store — is so important.”

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