Whole Foods Planned for H Street Northeast

For decades, grocery shoppers in the District had few stores to choose from, especially in areas blighted by poverty or crime, but now, high-end, upscale groceries are in a grocery store war to locate all over the city.

For decades, District officials begged groceries to stay in D.C. and urged others to come in to help redevelop the city, but their please no longer seem necessary.

Whole Foods announced Wednesday its fifth D.C. store will join the H Street Northeast revival. Mayor Vincent Gray beamed about the news.

The new Whole Foods will replace the Murray's market that's been there for the past few decades.

The city has experienced a boom in new markets, fueled by new condos and housing, lower crime and jobs, but gentrification is a concern. Will stores like Whole Foods cater to lower incomes?

“The highest quality doesn’t mean the highest price, though,” said Scott Allshouse, of Whole Foods.

Whole foods said it also is exploring a sixth store for the redevelopment of the old Walter Reed property on upper Georgia Avenue, setting up a battle with another up-scale grocer: Wegman’s.

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