Whole Foods Market is bringing food that is fresh, natural, and organic to Lynnwood. The supermarket, which opened today,  is located at 2800 196th St. S.W., the former location of Circuit City.

Store Team Leader Mindy Jahn said there were many reasons why Lynnwood was chosen as a location. “Lynnwood is an awesome community with lots of young families that are focused on a healthy lifestyle,” she said, and another reason for choosing this location was “[its position between] two interstates [that intersect] to allow easy access for commuters and destination shoppers.”

Whole Foods Market is an international supermarket chain with more than 310 stores in North America and the United Kingdom. They have a specific focus on natural and organic foods.

One of the downsides of Whole Foods Market is their prices. Typically, they have higher prices than other supermarkets such as QFC or Albertsons.

“It’s really expensive, so I won’t buy anything there,” MTHS sophomore Gabby Harter said.

But many people, like MTHS freshman Stephen Cuplin, are willing to pay extra for the high quality groceries.

“I’m excited about it because it means I have access to a whole bunch of really good organic foods that you can’t normally get [at] other places,” he said.

Jahn said Whole Foods Market will appeal to high school students and their families because of the “top quality foods, excellent customer service and an atmosphere for anyone that loves community, family and fun.”

The new supermarket is employing “150+” according to Jahn. These employees are working for a great company, according to Fortune 500. Last year, it was No. 24 on Fortune’s ‘100 best companies to work for’ list, and has been since the list’s creation. One of the best perks is the 20 percent discount on anything in the store for new employees.

The only downside is you have to be 18 years old to work there, resulting in ineligibility for many MTHS students.

According to their website, one of the values of Whole Foods Market is to “have an unshakable commitment to sustainable agriculture,” and sustainable agriculture is using methods of farming that aren’t harmful to the environment. Examples of this are biodiversity, the humane treatment of animals, and replacing resources removed from the ecosystem.

At the grand opening on March 15 a “bread breaking ceremony” was scheduled for 8:45 a.m. before the doors opened at 9 a.m. The first one hundred customers received a reusable shopping bag.