Angelika In our neighborhood "Noe Valley," it is a regular occurrence for businesses to come and go, as rents are still astronomically high despite the crisis, and the competition from online providers and large discount stores on the outskirts is significant. Naturally, tough economic times quickly break the necks of many smaller businesses, and as a result, more and more shops in Noe Valley are standing empty.
Recently, however, I became particularly sentimental because the supermarket "Bell Market" in our neighborhood permanently closed its doors in mid-February. After all, on my first day in San Francisco, back in 1996, I bought a bottle of champagne here for New Year's Eve! There had been rumors for about two years that Bell would close, long before the current economic drama.
Now there is no proper supermarket in our neighborhood anymore, only small mom-and-pop stores, so-called "corner stores," which do not carry a large range of goods. Although a new supermarket is coming to the Bell building, renovations and modernization are taking place first. Even though it is said that the renovation will be completed by September, no one in the neighborhood really believes it. The new supermarket belongs to the "Whole Foods" chain. "Whole Foods" originally comes from Texas and mainly sells products from organic farming on its shelves. As Michael always nicely puts it, the store fits into the "New Rich" Valley like no other, because many residents in our neighborhood not only earn well but are also environmentally conscious. "Whole Foods" is considered more of an upscale supermarket and is humorously called "Whole Paycheck" by many, as you can easily spend your entire salary there. But I must say that the quality of the products is really good.
The managers of "Whole Foods" apparently care a lot about getting along well with the people in the neighborhood. They tried to alleviate the concerns of smaller businesses that sell similar products, assuring them that "Whole Foods" is not ruthless competition but an enrichment for the neighborhood. Additionally, there is now a bus provided by "Whole Foods" every Tuesday, which transports willing customers to the "Whole Foods" supermarket in the Protero Hill neighborhood while renovation work is taking place.
The service is primarily aimed at older people in the neighborhood who can no longer drive themselves, but of course, it can be used by anyone. Since the "Bell" closed, Michael has been complaining every other day that he can no longer buy his beloved bread there. Although we have an excellent bakery on 24th Street, Michael always bought a specific type of Italian baguette at the "Bell" because of the thicker loaves and the harder crust. In any case, we hope that the opening of "Whole Foods" does not bring hordes of eco-conscious shoppers to our neighborhood, who would then clog up 24th Street with their cars.