It's getting real in Whole Foods, but not so much in the parking lot but inside their stores as they work to shed their rep as being a "pricey" grocery store chain. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the company whose chain of just over 300 stores nationwide are often referred to as "Whole Paycheck." more ›

This may bring about some closure for those who were adamant for so long that Fresh & Easy open a location in North Hollywood. Specifically in the area's retail core, NoHo Arts. And, before word came it would become a 24 Hour Fitness, specifically NoHo Arts-ers wanted F&E to take over the failed HOWS market. more ›

A tentative agreement has been reached between the union and the three major SoCal grocery store chains, bringing to an end a tense and protracted period of negotiations hinging largely on health insurance fees and other wage-related issues. more ›

Many Silver Lakers rejoiced when they heard they wouldn't have to schlep to the west or Pasadena to get their fill of fancy organic cheese. Their hopes were crushed when Whole Foods confirmed the whole thing was a hoax. But no one has yet stepped forward — until now. more ›

A bill that bars Californians from buying booze in self-checkout lanes is heading to Jerry Brown's desk for his signature. Supporters say that requiring face-to-face sales decreases the likelihood that a minor will buy alcohol. more ›

On Monday evening, it was hard to discern what was funnier: The angry readers who thought we were pot-kettle-black hipsters for cracking wise about hipsters in Silver Lake saving their imaginary paychecks to shop at a Whole Foods market, or the gleeful readers excited to spend their paychecks on fancy cheese and organic produce at the just-revealed location in the vacated Circuit City on Sunset Blvd. more ›

It's back to the bargaining table for union leaders and representatives from the three major local grocery store chains, and there will be no strike this week. Over the weekend, a vote by unionized grocery workers yielded a 90% return in favor of authorizing a strike. more ›

Grocery workers negotiating for a better health care plan have rejected a proposal by the management of Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons. Supermarket chains may come back with a better offer, the Orange County Register Reports. If not, union members could decide to give immediate notice to strike and then walk out 72 hours later. more ›

Ballots are being cast today and tomorrow by unionized grocery workers from the big local chains and a strike could be authorized as a result. "Depending on the outcome of this vote, a strike could happen as early as next week," notes ABC7. The issue remains the employees' health care plan, and its monthly cost. more ›

Los Angeles-based director Jeremy Seifert has launched a campaign via change.org to gather signatures of concerned consumers who want to let Monrovia-based grocer Trader Joe's to quit wasting so much food. more ›

Sorry Team Fresh & Easy. And sorry Team Trader Joe's. Your cries for an affordable, trendy, eco-slanted grocery store in the stead of the vacated Hows at the Commons in NoHo will go unanswered. A new tenant is prepping the space for move-in, and the only bring-your-own bag you'll need to tote there is the one filled with your tennis shoes and a padlock. 24-Hour Fitness has begun their renovation, and are aiming for a summertime open, reports North Hollywood Patch. more ›

It's more than just a rumor now: Trader Joe's has "filed an application to open on the northwest corner of Third and Fairfax," says CurbedLA, which is in the A.F. Gilmore retail center project. A TJ's in the McKently Malak-designed mid-century modern-style building would make that the third Joe's in the Mid-City West area, including the current one on La Brea, and the one planned for the Caruso project at Burton and San Vicente. Shall we break out the bargain wines to celebrate? more ›

It's a tough time to be running an upscale grocery chain in Los Angeles. Economic troubles have pushed the operators of HOWS to shut down all but one of their stores, reports the LA Times. The flagship Granada Hills location is selling off their stock, Torrance has been sold off, Malibu is gearing up to shut down, and North Hollywood closed months ago (and is still vacant). Only the Pasadena location will remain in operation. more ›

Before you freak out, the stores are not in the immediate Los Angeles area. Just as El Segundo-based Fresh & Easy's parent company Tesco announced a 15% profit for the first half of 2010, it also said it would be doing some belt tightening in the American Southwest. 13 underperforming stores will be closed, mostly in the Phoenix and Las Vegas metros. One in Southern California, the Moreno Valley one, will also shutter, according to the blog Fresh & Easy Buzz. The stores could re-open in a couple years if the economy recovers. more ›

A salmonella outbreak has spurred a massive egg recall that has been expanded to affect several stores in California that carry the eggs produced by Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, according to LA Now. more ›

Fresh & Eash, the grocery store that wants to eventually be a dominating force with a location in every neighborhood, has announced a slew of news spots, including its 100th in California. Nine of them will open in September with four of them located in the Los Angeles region. more ›

It looks like the developers behind a major housing and retail project next to the Sherman Oaks Galleria are gearing up to take their case to the public. On a newly launched Facebook fan page, proponents ask viewers to imagine something -- anything! -- in place of a large dirt field currently found between the corner of Sepulveda and Camarillo and the 405/101 freeway interchange. more ›

A proposed development surrounding a redesigned Ralphs (making it into a Fresh Fare) in Sherman Oaks looks like it's coming closer to reality. At issue for those opposing the project was the height. The city's specific plan for the area (.pdf) says buildings should be no more than 30 feet, but Ralphs wanted it up to 48 feet. Looks like 11 feet of that height has been chopped. more ›

Roll out the red carpet, set up the velvet ropes, and open up your reusable grocery tote, Hollywood-ites! Friday May 21 was opening day for the much-anticipated Trader Joe's in Hollywood on Vine Street. more ›

The long-awaited Trader Joe's in the Hollywood Entertainment District is almost here. At 8 a.m. on Friday, a grand opening celebration will welcome the company to Hollywood and Vine. The 13,000 square foot store will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and inside will feature Hollywood themed art mixed in with the company's Hawaiian-inspired decor. Since 1958, the Monrovia-based Trader Joe's has opened 330 stores in 25 states. A store in Montrose will also soon open. That one is located, most appropriately, on Honolulu Avenue. more ›

The new Whole Foods Market in Tarzana made its debut yesterday with a ribbon-cutting (bread-breaking) ceremony and event attended by Mayor Villaraigosa and many more. There are high hopes the anchor tenant of the Village Walk mixed-used development will invigorate the community, reports the Daily News. more ›

A scorecard released today by Greenpeace examines American supermarket chains and to what extent their seafood business is practiced sustainably. more ›

Ever since HOWS Market announced the closure of its NoHo Arts District location, people have been praying for a Fresh & Easy takeover of the space. Fresh & Easy, for their part, have been diligent in not giving any specifics. Last month, a spokesperson said "We’re looking at sites in NoHo, but not that site at this time." Yesterday, the same spokesperson had a variation: "We’re looking at sites in NoHo, but cannot confirm any sites in particular." So now they are not specifically denying the HOWS space. The second statement came after LAist learned from a source that Fresh & Easy is already in talks with J.H. Snyder Company, the Museum Square-headquartered owners and developers of the property. more ›

With HOWS Market poised to leave the NoHo Arts District, residents and blogs have been abuzz--wishing, hoping, pleading--with the prospect of a possible Fresh & Easy takeover of the space. Michael Higby at the Downtown NoHo Times, citing a "secret inside snoops," says that Fresh & Easy indeed does have plans to move in. But a representative at the company tells LAist in an e-mail that it's not the case, at least not at the moment. "We’re looking at sites in NoHo, but not that site at this time," he wrote. So, at this point, it's anyone's guess. more ›

Get ready, Hollywood. Trader Joe's Hollywood & Vine location--more specifically, at 1600 North Vine--is scheduled to open sometime this year. This morning, LAist reader Shamara Jones caught a temporary sign being installed. "Super exciting!" she wrote in an e-mail. more ›

Fans of Fresh & Easy might be getting a store near them soon. Next week, two stores will open with three more openings in early April, the company announced today. Of particular note will be the Central and Adams location in South Los Angeles... more ›

All you Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars lovers, take note. "There is a possibility that product with Use by Dates/ Lot Codes 16JUL10H2 and 17JUL10HI may cause a serious food-borne illness," says the grocer's website. "As a precaution, all of the product has been removed from sale and has been destroyed. To date, we have received no reports of illness related to this product." The Daily News says that "food-borne illness" is salmonella. If you have one of these boxes, take it back to get a refund or to exchange it for a sick free one! more ›

The ever-expanding neighborhood market that is Fresh & Easy appears to be preparing to open a store in Encino. California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control records released today indicate the market's application for a beer & wine license. more ›

Redevelopment can be a bitch. The struggling and slowly burgeoning NoHo Arts District took a hit on Monday when HOWS Market owners announced to employees that the store would be shut down over the next few months. more ›

This Trader Joe's-inpsired cookbook has been out since 2008, but when spotted on a bookstore shelf last night, we got a bit giddy inside. It's L.A.'s favorite grocery store (based on the amount of comments Trader Joe's posts receive), so maybe this will be our favorite cookbook. So far, we're loving it. more ›