It was with dismay that I read of the local Jackson Whole Grocery being taken over by the Whole Foods chain in the JH News and Guide. I believe the road to a healthy economy is through keeping things as local as possible. Jackson had already seen its other natural food store, Lucky s, go under last year. While not really local by normal standards it was out of Boulder, CO making it almost a neighbor by western measurements.
I have seen with my own eyes how Whole Foods operates in other areas. The third store they ever built was in New Orleans where I used to live. They were on the east central part of town in an upper class neighborhood back in the 1980 s. The only other natural food store was on the west side of town in a working class neighborhood. I got to know the owner, a nice friendly guy in his 30 s, and he even invited me to work there as my prior experience was all in that field. Years later when Whole Foods decided to expand they moved in a few blocks from his store. Odds