Daniel B.
Yelp
This Whole Foods Market 365 opened exactly one year ago today, December 12, 2018: https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/news/whole-foods-market-365-celebrates-grand-openings-of-first-two-atlanta-store. It opened concurrently with another Whole Foods Market 365 store in Buckhead: https://www.yelp.com/biz/whole-foods-market-365-atlanta-3. These two stores are the only 365 concept stores in Georgia and they're a rare breed across the country. When they opened, they were only the 11th and 12th locations in existence worldwide.
On February 25, 2019 - only about a couple months after these Atlanta market stores opened - Yahoo! Finance reported Whole Foods would convert all 365 format stores to regular stores: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-whole-foods-drops-smallformat-365-store-name-193244333.html. However, I visited this location this past Sunday, December 8, 2019, and it was still a 365 store.
As I wrote in my review for the Buckhead store, I like the 365 concept. It's a smaller, more accessible Whole Foods; basically, a "Whole Foods Lite." They sell their in-house 365 label and other affordable brands, though Whole Foods, in general, has become more affordable since Amazon acquired the company in 2017. The design and build-out of the stores are more "bare bones" compared to regular Whole Foods stores. The graphics and fonts are more playful and colorful. There's still a butcher's counter, hot bar, salad bar, olive bar, organic juice bar (dtox), in-store restaurant (Loteria Grill), dine-in space, and things like that. There's even an upstairs area with arcade games and a kids play area.
I first visited this store for a Yelp Elite Event: Yelp's Taste of Loteria Grill on May 2, 2019: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yee-yelps-taste-of-loteria-grill-decatur. Based in Los Angeles, Loteria Grill opened its first two locations outside of California inside Atlanta's two Whole Foods 365 stores. The event was a treat, especially because Loteria Grill founder and executive chef Jimmy Shaw made a special appearance: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yee-yelps-taste-of-loteria-grill-decatur?select=I9TrBrtxZv9qMubc7bKKOA. During our visit to Whole Foods on Sunday, Loteria had barely any business. Sad. I hope they make it.
This Decatur store felt smaller than the Buckhead store to me. And compared to all Whole Foods stores I've been to (365 and regular), it's probably the smallest. The store is bright, clean, and well-stocked. We didn't have any trouble finding what we wanted. On this trip, we picked up a dozen large non-GMO brown 365-brand eggs for $2.99, a 12-pack of Waterloo sparking water (I'm a big fan of Waterloo) on sale for only $4.99 plus an extra 10% off for being an Amazon Prime member, a pack of Josie's Organics celery hearts for $2.99, Whole Foods organic 50/50 blend of baby spinach and spring mix for $4.99, 365-brand Italian chicken sausage for $5.79, 365-brand whole baby bella mushrooms for $2.79, and Sunset Angel Sweet tomatoes on sale for $4.99 plus an extra 10% off (Prime member discount). Tax was only 3% on all this stuff. Very reasonable prices.
Service has been good.
This Whole Foods anchors a new mixed-use development called North Decatur Station (formerly North Decatur Square): https://www.facebook.com/NorthDecaturStation/. There are apartments (Solis Decatur), fast-casual restaurant chains like Bad Daddy's Burger Bar, Curry Up Now, gusto!, and Tin Drum Asian Kitchen, and more.