Whole Foods not just about food anymore

Whole Foods is not just about food anymore. Although the company has been selling select items such as socks for seven years now, the company has added a range of clothing at Whole Food stores which has been received with great success. Marketing research firm NPD Group estimates that there has been a 76% increase in clothing sales from January 2006 to January 2007, although the entire growth does not come from Whole Foods, a substantial rise can be attributed to the company.

Other grocers are glomming on to the trend. Safeway's Dominick's chain now carries a small selection of women's and babies' clothing made by Maggie's Organics, a line Whole Foods also carries. The clothing is currently carried in two of its Dominick's Lifestyle stores, at 345 S. Rand Rd. in Lake Zurich and 6300 S. Robert Kingery Highway in Willowbrook, according to company spokeswoman JeNyce Boolton.