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In two years, they merged SaferWay with Clarksville Natural Grocery run by Mark Skiles and Craig Weller and renamed the business Whole Foods Market. All four (Mackey, Hardy-Lawson, Skiles and Weller) are considered co-founders of the business.
Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. Our founders were John Mackey and Renee Lawson Hardy, owners of Safer Way Natural Foods, and Craig Weller and Mark Skiles, owners of Clarksville Natural Grocery.
Craig Weller, Renee Lawson Hardy, John Mackey (L to R). Two years later, Mackey and Hardy approached another local natural grocery store, Clarksville Natural Grocery, owned by Craig Weller and...
In 1978, John Mackey and Renee Lawson borrowed $45,000 from family and friends to open a small vegetarian natural foods store called SaferWay in Austin, Texas (the name being a spoof of Safeway). When the two were evicted for storing food products in their apartment, they decided to live at the store.
In 1980, Renee and I approached another local natural grocery store, Clarksville Natural Grocery, about joining forces. It was owned by Craig Weller and Mark Skiles. We merged our two stores and the four of us opened the first Whole Foods Market on September 20. The store was 10,500 square feet and had a staff of 19.
Jun 16, 2017 · 1978: John Mackey and Renee Lawson open a natural foods store in Austin called SaferWay. 1980: After merging SaferWay with Clarksville Natural Grocery, owned by Craig Weller and Mark...
John Mackey, Rene Lawson Hardy, Craig Weller and Mark Skiles. First Store. Austin, Texas, opened Sept. 20,1980, with a staff of 19 team members. Headquarters. 550 Bowie St. Austin, TX 78703 (above flagship store at 525 N. Lamar Blvd.)
