Sup, food. What are your thoughts on upscale grocers such as the Fresh Market, Whole Foods Market et al?

Are they good places to shop/work and are they on your list of regular shopping destinations?

In before jokes about Whole Paycheck.

I shop at WF periodically, but although I live in Northern California, the closest one is half an hour away. I buy specific things there because other things cost more than they do at the farmers' markets, Trader Joe's, or Mitsuwa. I would never be dumb enough to buy kabocha or milk there. But WF's concentrated tomato paste in a tube is cheaper than anyone else's, they have more and cheaper bulk beans, their sandwich bread is good, blah blah blah. People who dismiss it as all overpriced yuppie nonsense haven't looked carefully at the variety.

I'd go there more often if it were closer to me. It's the most frequently requested store when our city government asks for suggestions.

I too have to drive too far out of the way. Back when I lived in trendy expensive yuppie-ville there was a Central Market about five minutes away, and I used to go there for what >>2 is pretty much talking about. I never really found their produce to be particularly better than the common man's stores, but they did have a better in store bakery (though not as good as a real bakery), an enormous variety of cheeses/imported meats, and a few other features I really miss. It seems that every third or so grocery shopping trip would take place at Central Market so I could replenish some exotic item not easily found elsewhere.