Shoutout to the South Lake Union Whole Foods staff!

I just had one of the most surprisingly positive customer service experiences in Seattle. I stopped by the Whole Foods in South Lake Union earlier today, and every single employee I interacted with smiled, made eye contact, and genuinely seemed happy to help. Even security. It almost threw me off in the best way possible.

For context, I visited the Bellevue Whole Foods twice about a month or so ago. In both visits, a large majority of the employees looked stressed, unhappy, or completely disengaged. Honestly, maybe 10% of the people I interacted with there seemed even remotely content to be at work.

The contrast today was night and day. The South Lake Union team made me feel like I was back home in the South. We have a term for that feeling: Southern Hospitality. I never expected to find that vibe in Seattle, yet there it was in the middle of SLU.

So kudos to the Whole Foods crew in South Lake Union. You made a young man from the South feel welcomed and seen. Much appreciated.