The bike racks at the Whole Foods Market on Bay Place in Oakland are currently located at the street-facing corner of the store, right at the intersection and public sidewalk. This placement makes them highly visible and easily accessible to anyone passing by — including bike thieves.

Bikes locked at this location have already been stolen. The current spot offers no real security: it's outside the store's sightlines, away from foot traffic inside the property, and easy to approach from multiple directions without being noticed by staff or security cameras.

Oakland has a strong and growing bike culture, and Whole Foods has long positioned itself as a leader in sustainability and environmental responsibility. Encouraging customers to bike instead of drive is exactly the kind of behavior that aligns with Whole Foods' own values — lower emissions, less traffic, healthier communities. But that only works if biking to the store feels safe. Right now, customers who make the more sustainable choice are being rewarded with a higher risk of theft.

Whole Foods has a better option available on their own property: the roundabout area of their lower parking lot, which is actually on the property, closer to store entrances, far more likely to be seen by employees, shoppers, security guards, and security cameras.

We're asking Whole Foods Market (Bay Place, Oakland) to:

Relocate the bike racks from the street corner/sidewalk to a location within their property, such as the - parking lot roundabout
Choose a spot with better visibility, foot traffic, and camera coverage
Support the cyclists who choose the more sustainable way to shop, instead of leaving them exposed to theft
Follow through on the environmental commitment Whole Foods is known for, in a small but meaningful way