Whole Foods Market

"For readers who prefer, say, "small batch" bread loaves made with organic sunflower, poppy, and pumpkin seeds over a bag of Wonderbread, the arrival of Whole Foods in Santa Barbara is big news. It adds a list of new options for those seeking high-end wares. For some, getting a Whole Foods - the only one between Thousand Oaks and Monterey, in fact - helps put Santa Barbara on the map. And even residents most opposed to the arrival of a new chain store in a city fighting to preserve some semblance of commercial uniqueness may find themselves being won over by the promise of impeccably arranged aisles, a prevailing sense of groovy greenness, and neighbors' protestations of 'But it's Whole Foods!'"
--Drew Mackie, Santa Barbara Independent October 7, 2009