It’s the Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s news you’ve been waiting for!  Here’s the release from the folks at Whole Foods…

365 by Whole Foods Market™, a concept grocery store that provides simple, affordable and convenient everyday shopping without sacrificing the quality standards and dedication to food transparency that Whole Foods Market pioneered, has chosen Decatur, Georgia as one of a select group of cities to roll out its new store and branding.
The new evolution of grocery stores by Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) will be unveiled at North Decatur Square, a new shopping plaza to be constructed at North Decatur Road and Church Street by Fairburn-based developer S.J. Collins Enterprises.

“The 365 by Whole Foods concept will be a great fit for this new, growing retail corridor in the north end of Decatur,” said Jeff Garrison, partner at S.J. Collins Enterprises. “Close to downtown Atlanta, this location is ideal for shoppers looking for good, healthy and convenient food options that the grocery store will provide, along with several other chef-driven and fast-casual restaurants that we expect will fill North Decatur Square.”

The first 365 by Whole Foods will open in Silver Lake, Calif. on May 25, 2016, followed by about 10 more over the next year, including cities like Lake Oswego, Ore., and Bellevue, Wash., Santa Monica, Calif., Evergreen Park, Ill., Sycamore Township, Ohio and Gainesville, Fla., among others.

North Decatur Square will include approximately 90,000 square feet of commercial space, including the grocery store and additional retail and restaurant tenants. It is expected to open in Spring 2018.

What exactly is a Whole Foods “365”?  Buzzfeed describes it in a way that only Buzzfeed can…

1. The new 365 stores simply don’t carry the really expensive stuff you find at a regular Whole Foods.
2. More of the foods in the hot food and salad bar will be coming in pre-prepared.
3. The displays will be less elaborate.
4. There won’t be a butcher or a fishmonger.
5. 365 stores are smaller and cheaper to build.

And in case that’s not enough info for you, check out this Washington Post article titled “What to Expect From Whole Foods New Low Price Grocery Chain“.

Rendering of Silver Lake 365 store courtesy of Whole Foods Market 365 website