Whole Foods: Closing your store to better serve you

The cleverly word-crafted sign in front of the Hillsdale Wild Oats store informs customers that the store will close Oct 13 “as we can better serve you through the other Whole Foods Markets and Wild Oats Markets locations.”

Let’s see, to better serve us in Hillsdale, Whole Foods, which recently bought out Wild Oats, closes its store here …. That’s a novel approach to customer service.

Interestingly, Judy Hertz of Hillsdale, concerned about the closing of the store, e-mailed Whole Foods noting that the closure was happening just as senior citizens were moving into the new Watershed housing project 100 yards or so away. (The photo below shows the closure announcement with the new Watershed building in the background)

Hertz urged Whole Foods to reconsider in light of the needs of neighboring seniors.

Instead a Whole Foods PR representative replied that the closure shouldn’t be a problem because Hillsdale customers could shop conveniently at the Whole Foods store in nearby Tanisbourne.

Yes, you read that right: Tanisbourne.

Could this be the old confusion between Hillsboro and Hillsdale? Does Whole Foods even know where Hillsdale is?

Whatever.

Texas-based Whole Foods, which clearly has not a clue about what is convenient for us, may be doing our community a big favor by closing its Hillsdale store and making it available to a more responsive, less geographically challenged occupant.

Update on Hillsdale undergrounding

Earlier this week I wrote about leaning on Comcast and Qwest to underground their cables next to the new Watershed Senior Housing Project.

Comcast jumped on the case and sent folks out to check out the site today.

Qwest was slow to respond, but its Oregon president, Judy Peppler, e-mailed me today that her staff is looking into the costs. She promised to get back to me soon. I would suggest that Qwest's bean-counters factor in the cost of good will—and ill, particularly in the competitive cable environment Qwest wants to create.

Wes Risher and I are also pressing Comcast, Qwest and PGE to move the pole that obscures the view of the landmark tower at the busy corner of SW Capitol Highway and Bertha Court.

I'll keep you posted on developments.

PS The Watershed should be ready for occupancy in late November.