By now, everyone in the Oakland area must know that Whole Foods recently opened its first store in that city across the bay from San Francisco. That’s because the “natural and organic supermarket” chain is making sure it tailors its merchandising to virtually all segments of the community, from foodies to nonprofits. Countertops are made of recycled soda bottles, among other things–just one of the “green touches” sure to be a hit with the Bay Area crowd.

Farther south in Pasadena, the chain has opened its largest store in the Western United States, a two-story behemoth with a wine lounge and organic garden center. Not so much community involvement in upscale Pasadena, though, which shows they must know their customer demographics pretty well.

I’ve always enjoyed the products Whole Foods offers, but I haven’t seen much innovative merchandising except for the deli/takeout area. The food is attractively displayed behind glass or on the sales floor, with cheese and other samples generously offered. The Oakland store intrigues me with its “Market Hall” design inspired by “several international market halls from around the globe including ones in Berlin, Granville Island, Vancouver, and Portland, Maine.” The Pasadena store’s dining and tasting options will likely make it a retail destination.

Even if you don’t have (or want) a massive selection like Whole Foods, you can learn a lot from their interior layouts. They keep the customer moving, curious to discover what’s just around the next aisle, ready to plop some great new find into the shopping cart. If you can build the same kind of excitement into your retail space, there’s no reason it can’t become a destination in its own right.