Whole Earth Access
| Company type | Private subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | Berkeley, California (1978) |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Larry Farb (Founder) Gene Farb (Founder) |
The Whole Earth Access (1978 - 1998) was initially established as an countercultural retail store in Berkeley, California. Its name was inspired by Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Catalog and it sold items referenced in the Catalog. However, there was "no financial relationship between the two organizations." [1] The store also produced a publication called the Whole Earth Access Catalog, published by Ten Speed Press in Berkeley.
The store was founded in Berkeley by Larry and Gene Farb. They eventually opened shops in San Francisco and San Rafael. [2] After the success of the first store in Berkeley, a second store was opened in 1982 in San Rafael and a third in San Francisco in 1985. [1]
It began as a store which sold "wood stoves, grain mills, and other gear for 'alternative life styles.'" [1] It was described by the Los Angeles Times in 1986 as "Bloomingdale's without frills" or "K marts for yuppies" and as one of "the fastest growing - and most unusual - retailing phenomena in the nation." [1] Larry Farb also commented to the Los Angeles Times that, "we've grown up with our customers [...] the person who bought wood stoves in the '70s is buying cappuccino makers today." [1]
All three stores closed in 1998. [2]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e Victor F. Zonana. "One of the Fastest-Growing Chains in U.S.: Whole Earth Access Stores are Bargain Basement for Yuppies." Los Angeles Times, May 19, 1986: E2
- ^ a b Whole Earth Access says it's closing all stores
References
- Binkley, Sam. Getting Loose: Lifestyle Consumption in the 1970s. Durham: Duke University Press, 2007.
- Zonana, Victor F. "One of the Fastest-Growing Chains in U.S.: Whole Earth Access Stores are Bargain Basement for Yuppies." Los Angeles Times, May 19, 1986: E1-2.