Whole Foods Market Gears Up for Long-Awaited D.C. Store

Whole Foods Market is readying a new store in the nation’s capital. The grocer revealed an opening date of June 28 for its latest outpost at 7130 12th Street N.W. in Washington, D.C., which has been in the works for more than three years.

Located in the recently developed, mixed-use site of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center, this Whole Foods covers more than 47,000 square feet and was designed to complement the architecture of that historic military hospital. Affordable senior and assisted living residences are within the development, too.

[Read more: “Whole Foods Market Restructuring Business”]

The D.C. Whole Foods, which will also offer pickup services, features the retailer’s signature assortment of conventional and organic produce and its hallmark specialty cheese section. Both the curated grocery aisles and fresh perimeter include more than 800 local items sourced from across the broader D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. Befitting the location, the seafood counter likewise carries local options such as crabmeat, oysters and smoked salmon. A full-service meat counter, expansive prepared food department and bakery department cater to shoppers’ varying tastes and preferences. Shoppers can browse more than 250 craft beer selections in the adult beverage section.

The grocer is welcoming shoppers with complimentary coffee and breakfast bites on opening day. The first 300 customers will receive a limited-edition tote bag and coupons.

Whole Foods is extending that welcome to the community by donating to nonprofit groups D.C. Food Project, Real Food for Kids and Food Rescue D.C. The retailer is also planning to donate meals to support food rescue and distribution programs throughout the area, partnering with the Food Donation Connection.

Whole Foods Market Walter Reed will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 28. Regular store hours will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

This is the fourth Whole Foods location to be unveiled in 2023, following openings in Rochester, N.Y., Bozeman, Mont., and New York City’s financial district.

The first certified-organic national grocer, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Amazon, which is No. 2 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of top food and consumables retailers in North America.