(Photos by Cindy Kunst)
Whole Foods Market will open its second Asheville location — a gleaming 35,000-square-foot facility — at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26, in the Asheville Market shopping center at 4 S. Tunnel Road.
The store will hold a grand opening celebration for the community on Tuesday starting with a bread-breaking ceremony with Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer at 8:45 a.m. followed by a performance by the Hillcrest High Steppin’ ensemble.
Guests who arrive by 8:30 a.m. for the celebration can enter a drawing to win one of 100 gift cards valued at between $5 and $500. Wild Alaskan Coho salmon will be on sale for $5.99 in the parking lot while supplies last.
The new store features the Tunnel Road Tap Haus, an upper-level beer garden with eight taps pouring local brew and kombucha; a coffee bar; made-in-store gelato and sorbet; a walk-in beer cooler and 12-tap growler station; an all-organic salad bar and pizza station and full-service Seafood and Meat departments. The Meat department features pasture-raised beef from Hickory Nut Gap Farm.
Once open, store hours will be 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Details about events, community giving programs and more are available on the store’s website. For updates and photos, visit its Facebook, Twitter andInstagram pages.
Following is a list of special offers the store is featuring in celebration of its grand opening:
Opening day only, while supplies last (Tuesday, Aug. 26 ):
- Whole wild Alaskan Coho salmon, cut to order: $5.99/pound
- Ground beef (85/15; Global Animal Partnership Step 1-rated), $2.99/lb. (save $3)
Opening week (Aug. 26-Sept. 2):
- Hickory Nut Gap Farm pasture-raised ribeye: $14.99/pound (save $5)
- North Carolina shrimp: $8.99/pound (save $3)
Labor Day Weekend (Aug. 29-Sept. 1):
$20 bundle deal, including:
- Eight quarter-pound burgers, ready to cook
- Eight slices of Cabot cheese (mild or sharp cheddar)
- Eight buns (white or wheat)
- Two pounds of Farmer’s Market Potato Salad
Additional offers, while supplies last
- First 100 customers to buy a bottle of cold brew coffee or iced tea get the cold brew bottle for free
- Free growler koozie with any growler fill-up
