Silicon Valley town to open new Whole Foods almost twice as big as its original

The Silicon Valley town of Los Gatos is getting a major grocery upgrade, as a new Whole Foods is set to debut in just over a month.

The Amazon-owned supermarket is opening a new store at 15650 Los Gatos Blvd., at the corner of Los Gatos-Almaden Road. The 40,039-square-foot grocery store is replacing the old Whole Foods Market, at 15980 Los Gatos Blvd., and will be almost double the size of the old store, according to Los Gatos Mayor Rob Moore. The grand opening is scheduled for April 15, the mayor said, though Whole Foods declined to confirm that opening date.

“The town had begun to outgrow the existing, smaller Whole Foods, so this is a significant upgrade,” Moore told SFGATE by email. “Just as important, the project redevelops a site that sat vacant for many years after a car dealership closed. I live a 5-minute walk from the new Whole Foods, and I can tell you that turning a long-empty property into a sought-after grocery store is popular with the neighborhood, and it strengthens our local economy.”

Located less than a mile from the old Whole Foods, the new store will include more hot foods and seating, as well as a coffee and smoothie bar, the mayor said. Los Gatos was one of the first Bay Area towns to get a Whole Foods, back in 1994, just after Berkeley, Mill Valley and Palo Alto. The 32-year-old storefront, which is part of a still-active retail center, will close when the new store debuts. Moore said the future tenant for that site has not yet been publicly announced.

Plans for a larger Whole Foods gained steam in 2022 when developer Sand Hill Property Company proposed a new location. The land, which the developer bought for $15.1 million, also features a Tesla service center that opened last November.

In 2024, some residents commented on Facebook that the old store was “sufficient” and that a bigger store would leave them “missing the old town feel” of Los Gatos.

After talking with neighbors, the mayor thinks that expanding the healthy options for the community is a “big win.” 

“Los Gatos has always evolved while still protecting the things that make our town special. The new Whole Foods isn’t replacing a historic building or changing the downtown. Rather, it’s revitalizing a property that had been largely vacant for years,” Moore said. “In my opinion, residents value both preserving the character of our historic downtown core while ensuring commercial areas throughout town remain active and economically healthy.”