The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Health store boss retires after 42 years
Health store owner Catherine Eddie is stepping down from the shop she founded after a quarter of a century keeping Aberdonians healthy.
Visitors to the city’s Grampian Health Store will now be welcomed by new owners after the 61-yearold sold the Market Street store to sisters Stephanie Hundtofte and Sarah-Jayne Farman.
Catherine, a former Aboyne Academy pupil, opened the original shop in Crown Street in 1999. She had run two similar shops in Yorkshire, but wanted to get back to the north-east.
In 2008 she moved the business to bigger premises in Market Street. “There was an opportunity to move to Market Street and with the development on Union Square we thought it would be a good position to be in,” Catherine said.
“I was apprehensive because I started it from scratch but I knew I could do it and there was a gap in Aberdeen for what I was going to offer.
“We hit the ground running. It was very good.”
The business sells herbal products, vitamins and supplements and natural body-care ranges.
Catherine, who started her career at the age of 19 working at The Health Shop in Inverness, has decided now is the time to retire and enjoy more quality time with husband Callum and their five grandchildren.
She said: “I’ve been doing it for 42 years and thought my time was coming to an end and I wanted to do something different.
“All our grandchildren are down south and we never see much of them so we want to go and visit.
“We’ve invested in a motorhome and want to enjoy our time and have some freedom. I was always so committed to my job. It was more than a job. I’ve worked since I left school and never had a break.
“I will miss it. Over the past 25 years I built up a reputation and I will miss the customers.”
Catherine’s three members of staff will continue to work at Grampian Health Store and she hopes people will continue to support the city’s small businesses.
She said: “It would be good to keep supporting Aberdeen and not abandon it. There’s a lot of really good shops. Yes, there’s empty units, but what’s there is good. We need their support.”