By BBJ Staff

A new Whole Foods is opening on May 11 at 1030 Lakeway Drive in Bellingham. The grand opening, or “breaking bread” ceremony will start at 8:30 a.m., when employees of the new store will present a gift of $2,000 to the Bellingham Food Bank. The natural food store opens for customers to start shopping at 9 a.m.

This will be the ninth Whole Foods in the state and the only one north of Snohomish County. The store will carry products from 30 vendors from Whatcom and Skagit counties, as well as 300 vendors throughout the region.

The 50,000-square-foot store will create around 150 jobs in Bellingham.