As of Friday evening, new we’re-gonna-tow-you-if-you-park-here signs have been installed along D’Amico St. just north of the new Waugh Dr. Whole Foods Market, reports the Swamplot correspondent who’s been monitoring the parking situation there — and taking in the scene at the new store: “I think the traffic and mass crowds might be worth it,” was the first conclusion, even before the clampdown. These photos, showing the new signs and an American General security detail along D’Amico just west of the office complex parking garage, were taken on a later visit Saturday morning after a follow-up shopping expedition — where our correspondent happily scored 50 bucks’ worth of soda and candy.
- Previously on Swamplot: Later on Opening Day: Whole Foods Montrose Afternoon Parking Report
Photos: Swamplot inbox
Yes, we went there this weekend, and they have a security person blocking that entrance, and as of Sunday, the gate to the parking lot across the way has came down. Meantime, if you were to drive around Whole Foods, there’s a small driveway to another parking garage, and they started to have security guards put up cones to force drivers to exit thru Dallas St.
They’ll take billions of your tax dollars in a bail out and still be greedy with sharing their very under utilized parking lots. Whole Foods parking lot is nothing short of chaos, I went Friday evening and spent $40 on virtually nothing..
Ditch your cars and ride a bike
Newsflash: the street belongs to the City, not AIG. Park in the street anywhere you don’t see an official COH no parking sign.
cm – why complain here about spending $40 on “vitually nothing”? You were the one that spent it! If you don’t like it, don’t shop there.
A employee, from the W Alabama WF, said that the new WF in Montrose, has 104 more parking spots than the W Alabama store, but the employee’s all so park in the back of the lot, that just about makes them even in parking.
I understand the sentiment. The last thing you want is a bunch of hippies hopped up on organic sugar cane soda and pre-prepared glucose-free vegitarian food parking in front of your reputable establishment.
Newsflash: the street belongs to the City, not AIG. Park in the street anywhere you don’t see an official COH no parking sign.
That was my first thought. Unless D’Amico is a private driveway, the only group that prvent parking there is the city.
I’m entitled to an opinion aren’t I? Don’t shop there what an epiphany.. Your astute command of the obvious has enlightened me..
“Newsflash: the street belongs to the City, not AIG. Park in the street anywhere you don’t see an official COH no parking sign.”
Unless the “street” is actually a private driveway I don’t see how AIG can do this.
i think it is a private driveway.
i walked up to WF one day this weekend and drove there another day. the parking lot is insane, which is strange because both days it was not that crowded inside. Very easy to check-out with absolutely no lines on Saturday.
Isn’t there a mechanism for a private company to pay a fee to the city for exclusive parking on a section of street? I seem to remember something like this coming up when valet parking was springing up all over downtown? I don’t have a dog in this hunt, just wondering if AIG has actually cut a deal with the city?
I worked in both the AIG and Wortham Tower. The road in question is a driveway and not an extension of of D’Amico.
Sunday AM, by the way, the parking lot was fine and it wasn’t crazy inside at all. Just busy. Very pleasant experience.
I wasn’t terribly impressed with the produce, or the seafood section that smelled of old fish, but did really enjoy the frozen food section, prepared foods, and vast selection of HFCS free sodas. Though word to the wise, skip the pre-prepared babyback ribs they’re pretty awful truth be told. But the shrimp cocktail I bought was heavenly. Mixed bag for me personally, I like CM’s and HEB’s produce, though if I need a tv dinner and some pommegranate soda it’s not a bad place to shop, and even on Friday night checkout was in and out in under 2-3 minutes, kudos on that end.
As noted by htownproud, this place can have a full parking lot yet not much sense of overcrowding, especially at checkout, inside.
My wife astutely noted that this is caused by the myriad reasons that WF sets up for its shoppers to come and linger. If they have WiFi, it will probably get worse as the weather cools off in the fall, and “shoppers” linger at the bar and tables.
From cm=corey:
I’m entitled to an opinion aren’t I? Don’t shop there what an epiphany.. Your astute command of the obvious has enlightened me..
June 27, 2011 at 1:02 pm
That may be the case, but you’re still the brainiac that chose to carry around and ultimately purchase $40 worth of nothing, then come compalin about it in a post about parking.
It was like this when HEB’s Central Market first opened. I went during my usual weekend morning time and the parking lot was full, but managable. By comparison, WF Kirby would usually be pretty quiet at the same time. I don’t think that many people have suddenly switched to shopping at WF. I think there are a lot of people who do not normally shop WF who are taking a looksie. And I doubt the traffic will persist given the prices at WF and the planned Kroger on Studemont.
As for the store, many improvements over Kirby. More space to sit and eat, easier time at checkout, and a better layout. Generally a pretty good use of space.
Parking or not, this WF is fantastic for the nearby neighborhoods. We live in an urban city and parking problems is a natural part of life, so deal with it. Rest of the major international cities do. I am glad Houston is joining the rest of the world’s major cities and out of Dallas’ shadow ;)
Just came from there and walked in and turned around and walked out when I saw the checkout lines. The parking signs are clearly on a private driveway. Leave to the folks in COH Planning for not requiring better ingress/egress from the parking lot. Cannot believe there is no cut in the median to allow a left turn on Waugh from the parking lot.
@JT, I believe it may actually be illegal to turn left out of a parking lot in a business district onto a two-way street, if I’m reading COH ordinance 45-38 correctly. But of course we all do this all the time.
Sec. 45-38. – Turning from or into alley or private driveway.
(a) Any vehicle emerging from an alley or private driveway onto a two-way street or turning into an alley or private driveway from a two-way street in a business district shall proceed straight ahead or make a right turn and it shall be unlawful to turn left or into such alley or driveway.
And WTF, WFM Kirby was still packed to the gills this past Saturday :( , so those shoppers at WFM Waugh must be coming from somewhere else.
I can afford it too, it’s nice to splurge on occasion.. You must work for AIG, your guilty conscience is showing..
From cm=corey:
I can afford it too, it’s nice to splurge on occasion.. You must work for AIG, your guilty conscience is showing..
June 28, 2011 at 12:31 pm
Not to put too fine of point on it or anything but I hardly call spending $40 “splurging” man, sorry. Also, call me crazy but when I splurge I usually spend it on something, not “virtually nothing”.
hence the splurge brainiac.