Whole Foods Targets Houston

Whole Foods targets location near Heights for its first low-price supermarket in Texas

Whole Foods Market's new 365 chain is geared toward millennials.

Photo courtesy of Whole Foods

Houston is one of the first five cities to get a branch of 365 by Whole Foods Market, the "streamlined, value-oriented" grocery chain aimed at millennials.

The Houston store will be located at Interstate 610 and Yale, and is the first 365 by Whole Foods Market store in Texas, according to spokesman Michael Silverman. "We haven’t announced the timetable for the opening of the Houston store," Silverman says, but store openings are scheduled through 2017.

The Houston location will be at the northeast corner of Yale and Loop 610, near the Heights, Garden Oaks and Oak Forest neighborhoods, in a new complex called Yale Marketplace.

The company has also secured leases for 365 by Whole Foods Market locations in Bellevue, Washington; Portland, Oregon; and Santa Monica, California. The first 365 store will be located in the hipster Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

In a release, Jeff Turnas, president of 365 by Whole Foods Market describes the concept as having "a fresh format and a unique product assortment."

"We think 365 will offer convenience and value while providing the quality standards and transparency that consumers love and expect," he says. One of its selling points is lower prices on natural and organic products.

According to the release, the first locations will open in the second half of 2016, and the company plans to double the number of 365 by Whole Foods Market store openings in 2017.

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shaq attack

Shaquille O'Neal leaves $1,000 tip at Houston Tex-Mex institution

Courtesy of Ninfa's

Shaquille O'Neal had lunch at Ninfa's Uptown.

NBA Hall of Famer and media personality Shaquille O’Neal surprised the crowd at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown when he stopped by for lunch over the weekend.

The Big Aristotle declined the restaurant’s offer to sit in its private dining room, preferring to eat among fans and admirers. O’Neal posed for pictures with customers and staff, including a shot that Ninfa’s shared on Instagram.

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“He was so kind and generous, offering to take pictures with anyone who wanted one and giving everyone high fives," executive chef Patti Delgado said in a statement.

Ninfa's El Eddie taco plate Shaq ordered his tacos without the lettuce and tomatoes.Photo by Sergio Trevino

Instead of Ninfa’s signature fajitas, O’Neal opted for the El Eddie, a plate of three crispy tacos. According to the restaurant, Shaq kept it simple by ordering the tacos with only meat and cheese. Delgado served the star personally, which led to a hilarious exchange.

“I took him his plate and when I set it down he said, 'Wait a second, what is this?' and I said, 'The crispy tacos you ordered.' and Shaq looked at me and said, 'I didn't order that," Delgado recalls. "Then he said, 'No, I'm just kidding! Look at your face!' He's very funny and so down to earth."

Not only did O’Neal pay for the meal of a neighboring table, he tipped his server $1,000. Of course, his generosity shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, he’s in the restaurant business, too.

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