Pet store, grocery to open next week
The Vintage will welcome Kriser’s and Whole Foods grocery to area
Pets and their parents will soon have more shopping opportunities with Whole Foods Market and Kriser’s pet store coming to The Vintage development in Northwest-Houston.
The stores, which are located next to each other will open next week.
Whole Foods Market
The opening day for Whole Foods Market Champions, 10133 Louetta Road, is set for June 25, and the celebration of the new store will last through the weekend.
Jeanette Webster, Houston media and community relations coordinator, said that showing a commitment to the community is a top priority for the store.
She said each Whole Food opening celebration is planned with the goal of benefiting local nonprofit organizations.
For example, the preview party for the 44,180-square-foot Whole Foods Market Champions will benefit Northwest Assistance Ministries.
From 3-6 p.m. June 21, a portion of the store will open to the public, and local vendors will provide samples of items that will be offered on the shelves.
A suggested donation of $5 will go to the nonprofit andthe grocer also will donate a pallet of diapers to benefit NAM’s children’s programs.
The Champions store will also host a series of “community giving days” during opening week, where 1 percent of the first five
days net sales is donated to a nonprofit.
By shopping at the store, guests will support a variety of local nonprofits.
On June 25, the proceeds will go to the Klein Independent School District Foundation and its Reading Express Bus, a mobile library that ensures all Klein students have access to library materials throughout the summer.
On June 26, shopping at the Whole Foods will benefit the Bradley McWilliams YMCA at Cypress Creek.
On June 27, proceeds will go to Barbara Bush Library Friends and June 28, donations will benefit the Cypress Creek Foundation for the Arts & Community Enrichment.
Finally, on June 29 proceeds will go to SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers.
Webster said the Whole Foods will have a woodgrilled, Peruvian-style chicken venue and an on-site sushi station with made-to- order selections.
The store will also have a wood-fired pizza oven, where customers can buy by the slice or take home and bake a whole pie.
A made-to-order sandwich station will feature Whole Foods Market Bake House breads, and madein-store deli roasts.
The beer-and-wine bar at the Champions location will feature 16 cold brews on tap and a communitystyle wine sampling and chilling station.
“There will be a picnicstyle table with an ice tray that runs down the center so guests can sample specialty offerings,” Webster said.
She added that the location at the Vintage will serve as the largest chocolate selection in the region.
“The most frequently asked question is will we have a juice bar,” Webster said.
“The answer is yes.” Kriser’s
Ken Grouf, president and chief operating officer of Kriser’s, said opening next to Whole Foods makes sense.
“People can shop there for healthy food for their families and then stop by Kriser’s and get all-natural food for their pets,” he said.
Grouf said that choosing the best locations for the stores, which offer all-natural pet foods, treats, toys, supplements and supplies along with in-store grooming services, requires re- search.
“We want to open is places where people really care about their pets,” he explained.
Grouf said the Champions, Cypress, Spring and Tomball neighborhoods seemed like a perfect fit.
Kriser’s, at 15556 Cutten Road and 2,400 squarefeet, will celebrate its grand opening June 27- 28. Weekend hours are 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Shoppers who come by during the weekend will receive discounts and special offers, as well as the chance to participate in contests.
There will be a chance to win an instant $200 shopping spree as well as free grooming for a year.
“And of course, the Poo Fairies will be there,” Grouf said.
The Poo Fairies serve as the company’s welcoming committee and street-marketing team.
Dressed in uniforms and armed with poop bags to give to pet owners to encourage them to pick up after their dogs, the fairies will visit neighborhood gathering spots and reward each canine owner seen cleaning upafter their pets with an “I Scooped” sticker, similar to “I Voted” stickers passed outonElection Day.
“Stepping in apile of poo is no fun,” Grouf said.
“We want our neighborhoods to be poo-free zones.”
Kriser’s opened its first Houston store at 5160 Buffalo Speedway five months ago. The location in the Vintage will be the second in the area.
The first Kriser’s store opened in 2006 in Chicago. Since then, Kriser’s has grown to include 23 locations nationwide,.
The store in TheVintage will carry aisles of all-natural pet foods, as well as treats, toys, supplements and supplies.