Lodi nutrition store thrives for three decades
When one door closed, Sheri Didreckson busted through another and found her calling on the other side.
Didreckson, the owner of Sheri’s Sonshine Nutrition in Downtown Lodi, worked for a health food store in her younger years and developed a love and passion for the health and nutrition industry.
“I really discovered that I had a passion for helping people with their health and providing top notch products for them,” she said.
Unfortunately, she was left without a job after severing ties with the owner, and she didn’t know what to do next.
Didreckson says she was looking through a newspaper when she spotted a health and nutrition store for sale — she jumped at the opportunity and purchased the store.
“It was like a passion and a dream came true,” Didreckson said.
Now, three decades later, the store is still thriving.
“I give God all the credit for every single thing that has happened in my life and to my business, and that’s really the most important thing because he was the one that opened up everything in my life,” Didreckson said.
According to Didreckson, great customer service is what’s kept the store in business for so long.
“We like to pride ourselves on giving awesome customer service to our customers and we really try hard to meet their needs and to be the best that we can be,” she said. “That’s been our number one goal every since I started this business. I wanted to treat people with respect and just go above and beyond.” Her customers couldn’t agree more. Rhonda Nicholson shops at the store at least once a week and said she feels right at home whenever she visits the store.
“I love the people that work here,” she said. “They’re like family to me. If I have a question they are able to help me out and get me in the direction of what supplement I might be needing.”
Marilyn Eger, another customer who visited the store Wednesday afternoon, said she liked that the store offers items other stores don’t have. She said she also likes that the staff is knowledgeable and friendly.
Didreckson says she has learned so much over the years about running a business. One of the toughest lessons Didreckson said she had to learn was succeeding as a female business owner.
“I learned how to become a stronger person,” she said. “I learned how to use my mouth to talk. I was very shy and bashful but now I would consider myself on the outgoing side,” she said.
Didreckson says she also learned that the customers are the backbone to being successful and that she is grateful for every single one that has supported her over the years. She also learned that her business was only as good as the staff, adding that she has had an amazing crew that she is very proud of.
“My store manager Alyce (Regalia), we have the nickname Lucy and Ethel. She’s just been there through everything for me and she’s just amazing,” Didreckson said.
With much success comes challenges and over the years Didreckson said she has had a few come her way.
One of the biggest has been tackling the parking problem Downtown, an issue she is still battling today.
Another challenge she has faced is trying to compete with the internet.
“You can’t really compete against it as far as pricing goes because these people have no overhead,” she said. “They have no staff. They have no nothing. They cannot give the customer service that we can give and we really, really try to strive to treat everybody very special and everybody is different. People still appreciate the human touch.”
Though she has had to face a few challenges along the way, owning a health and nutrition store also has its perks.
“I have access to all the things I enjoy,” Didreckson said.
Working at the store has brought educational opportunities her way and given her a chance to work with wonderful people, she said.
Looking back over the years, Didreckson said she has had many accomplishments with the store but one of the biggest was moving from a 400-squarefoot space to a 4,000-square-foot space on a prime corner in Downtown Lodi. She also recalls remodeling the store in 1992. Didreckson has also won at least 14 different contests in the health industry.
Her most memorable moments in business are the first day she opened the store and the day she moved into her current location. She said Regalia coming to work for her was a memorable moment as well. Regalia has been working for Didreckson for 17 years.
As for the future of Sheri’s Sonshine Nutrition, Didreckson has no plans of retiring anytime soon and she plans to continue to offer great customer service along with outstanding products.
In addition to selling nutrition and health products, Didreckson also hosts lectures for her customers. The next one is today at 6 p.m. and it’s on essential oils.
Outside of the store, Didreckson resides in Acampo with her husband, Darrell, who runs the computer system and does all the IT work at her store. She is very active in the community, providing scholarships to deserving high school students and has committed to sending three to school for all four years. She also runs her own 501c3 dog rescue organization called Pokeadot Rescue, finding homes for at least 160 dogs. She is also a former badminton and tennis coach at Lodi High School.