DETROIT (AP) ? A city infamous for its unemployment, decay, crime and population loss would seem an odd place for an upscale natural and organic grocery chain to plant roots, but yuppie favorite Whole Foods is taking a gamble on the Motor City. The 2-square-mile collection of smaller neighborhoods north of downtown still has vacancies and lacks the bustling, thriving feel of some of those larger cities' neighborhoods in transition. [...] it has solid anchors in Wayne State University, the Detroit Medical Center and cultural institutions such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and Orchestra Hall, as well as a growing number of startups and rehabilitation projects, and people are moving in thanks to relocation incentives offered by their employers. The company has said it has built relationships with Michigan farmers and feels it could offer something to Detroiters, who have long complained about having few places to buy fresh fruit, vegetables and produce. Some in the community welcome the diversity of foods offered by Whole Foods, while others fear poorer residents won't be able to shop there and the store won't provide staples for the neighborhood's large Latino population, said Eduardo Siqueira, associate research director for the Mauricio Gast�n Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Boston. [...] Nordin also worried Whole Foods' presence could draw more national chains and hurt local merchants "who have worked so hard to make (Midtown) come back."
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