Travel along College between Prospect and Drake and you’re sure to see the congestion of cars, bikes, and pedestrians entering and exiting the Whole Foods parking lot. This well-known, worldwide, healthy grocery store chain popularizes organic and pure foods in nearly every city it touches. Fort Collins is no exception.

The store simply offers the best in Fort Collins. Walk in and the aroma of fresh picked fruit and vegetables greets you. Next the fishmongers offer the freshest selections, advise on cooking, and will even offer samples to the kids (my daughter likes to show off and try the octopus). Round the corner and an entire aisle of brilliant bulk foods can overwhelm any granola chooser. The butchers and cheese artisans are housed together on the other end of the store. Their expertise guides your choices, so there is no second-guessing yourself. The fresh scent of bread soon reaches you as you depart the cheese area. The bakery not only puts out fabulous crusty bread, however; their pastry case will make you cry.

So Whole Foods has amazing food selections and experts who can sell it to you. What else? Need supplements or natural remedies? They have two aisles worth. Need fresh roasted coffee and a latte right now? They’ll set you up. Want a freshly rolled California Roll? Stop in at the sushi counter. Need a prepared lunch or dinner immediately? You got it. Need cards, gifts, plants, or fresh flowers??—look no further.

We often follow up our shopping trip with a snack or meal that we take to the patio. Lots of tables and a few comfy chairs invite patrons to enjoy the many ready-to-eat options.

Maybe you’ve been to a Whole Foods before. Despite your experience, you’ll have to visit the Fort Collins store to truly appreciate all that it has to offer. Some folks call it Whole Paycheck—since you can easily blow your whole budget in a trip. It’s just that good. So be careful, but enjoy.