Whole Foods plans move into Downtown LA

Councilman Joe Huizar and Whole Foods made the announcement on Wednesday: the symbol of upscale organic-ness expects to open in 2015 at 8th Street and Grand Avenue downtown. That's where Carmel Partners is developing a 700-unit luxury apartment building. It wasn't that long ago that the Downtown residential community was grateful just to get a Ralphs. The Whole Foods store will be 42,000 square feet and the flackage says it create 200 jobs.

The news was hailed by the usual downtown boosters and enthusiasts, and even by LA Times politics reporter Seema Mehta:

Whole Foods is coming to downtown LA, per CM Huizar. Very exciting.

— Seema Mehta (@LATSeema) July 31, 2013