‘All about educating people’

Natural food stores enjoy longevity, offer alternative options

Welcome to “the land of milk and honey,” Cheshire native Alan Toth told a new neighbor, offering gifts of raw milk and organic honey procured that day at FoodWorks in Cheshire.

Toth next shared a more valuable gift, the store’s address, he said.

While natural food markets support the vitality and longevity of their customer base through healthy foods, vitamins and supplements sold, that vital customer base, in turn, has contributed to the longevity of several area markets now celebrating milestone anniversaries.

The markets include: Thyme & Season, in Hamden, marking 20 years; FoodWorks, in Guilford, celebrating 25 years; and Edge of the Woods, New Haven, with 40 years of service. New Morning market, located in Woodbury, turns 45 this year. FoodWorks expanded into Old Saybrook

FROM PAGE 1 15 years ago and in 2013 opened the shop in Cheshire.

The region’s natural food markets offer organic, local and traditional produce, grocery, frozen, and bulk items, vitamins and supplements, natural health and beautycare products, pet food, kitchen gadgets, glassware, books, gifts, and more.

A big part of the work and mission of FoodWorks is, “all about educating people,” said Ralph Johnson, founder-owner of FoodWorks. “It’s about how to stay open to alternatives, and to consider other routes to wellness.”

Johnson recalled a time 30 years ago when mainstream medicine “all poohpoohed” new therapies, including acupuncture.

Today, with increasing public education and practice, acupuncture is a widely accepted alternative therapy used to treat pain and a variety of health conditions.

Education and wellness is a vital part of the 20year celebration at Thyme & Season. The store offers ongoing free lectures that draw alternative and natural practitioners.

The events bring together local health and wellness professionals with those interested in learning about alternative therapies and products, with other recent lectures, including “Minerals: what we are made of,” with a local naturopathic doctor, a talk on “Assertiveness as Self-Care,” “Food Allergy, Sensitivity and Intolerance,” and “Better Belly,” focusing on elements of a healthy gut micro-biome.

Competition from big box stores continues to challenge smaller shop owners, said Johnson, who added many mainstream distributors have joined the organic marketplace based on strong consumer demand.

But buying foods and goods locally offers locals considerably more value when considering the multiplier effect that shows, on average, that nearly 50 percent of money spent at local independent businesses gets recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores or online, according to American Independent Business Alliance.

“People want to interact with others and know what’s in the foods and products,” said Johnson, who hires local residents at his stores and supports other local businesses. “If you buy online, that money doesn’t come back.”

Local natural markets make an excellent community hub, drawing likeminded individuals who support each other, Toth said.

The Whalley Street location connected with “a loyal trade” for more than 40 years at Edge of the Woods, according to founder-owner Peter Dodge.

Dodge started the shop on a shoestring budget of $5,000, an amount that couldn’t pay for a single freezer today, he said.

Instead, deep pockets are advised for anyone seeking to get a market going today, Dodge said. But with the right location, a natural market owner can succeed today, he added.

Looking ahead, the future seems bright at Edge of the Woods as the store plans to add another 1,000 square feet this summer, expanding the store to a total 12,000 square feet.

After 45 years in Woodbury, New Morning Market celebrated its latest milestone with in-store events, product demonstrations, food samplings, and, for the second year, the Handmade Market, a one-day event at the store that offers high quality, handcrafted goods by area artisans.

Thanking his customers on the store’s website, founder-owner John Pittari, Jr. said that he was grateful for their participation, “whether it’s been for 45 years or 45 minutes,” the post said.

A longtime customer of Pittari’s, Toth recalled many “long, dark drives” made to Woodbury 30 years ago when New Morning was a small red shop, he said. Back then, few other choices existed to find organic foods, vitamins and supplements locally.

When natural markets began to open closer and closer to his native Cheshire, Toth’s prayers were answered, he said.

Though he does visit other natural markets, hugs are not guaranteed, he said.

“But (FoodWorks staff) took care of that in quick time,” Toth added.