| Health food stores have always been mysterious | | | | tasty, and the prices have become comparable to |
| places. Back in the late 1970's, early 1980's, health food | | | | those of a conventional grocery store. |
| stores occupied a small niche in society that was close | | | | The overall concept of the health food store hasn't |
| to being underground. They came along on the heels | | | | changed. They still offer a wide range of organic |
| of the hippy movement of the 60's and often served | | | | foods and herbal remedies. They are filled with all kinds |
| as a place for communes to sell their homegrown | | | | of products to heal the body, mind and spirit. You can |
| wares. The health food stores smelled of herbs, | | | | find aromatherapy candles, essential oils, books, tapes, |
| incense and a few other things that generally defied | | | | and DVD's on meditation and yoga. You can take |
| description. There were strange and exotic foods | | | | cooking classes and learn how to make your own |
| from all over the globe, all of them claiming to be | | | | herbal remedies. There are still aisles dedicated to |
| organic or free range. There were things like granola, | | | | environmentally safe products for household cleaning |
| soymilk, goat's milk, tofu and wheat grass juice. You | | | | and recycling. |
| could find books on such subjects as natural healing, | | | | Some additions are a pleasant surprise, though. There |
| crystal therapy and composting. | | | | can be four different "deli" counters. There is usually a |
| Wild Oats is a franchise in many cities and when you | | | | butcher counter with free-range chicken and beef and |
| go into the store, you can tell right away that the basic | | | | a plethora of fresh seafood. Another counter may |
| Mom and Pop operation had changed. This particular | | | | display an array of amazing baked goods (bagels, |
| chain began eighteen years ago in Boulder, Colorado | | | | cakes and pastries), and in many stores there is yet |
| and has expanded over the years to include more | | | | another section that caters full meals for a quick |
| than 110 stores in 24 states and British Columbia. It is | | | | healthy lunch or a dinner party. The modern health |
| clear to see how this company became the standard | | | | food store also had a section for wine and beer, an |
| for the organic market industry. | | | | astounding array of cheeses, and an extensive frozen |
| At first glance, their store looks like any other large | | | | foods section. |
| grocery store, and you can probably find many of the | | | | It is good to see how far the basic health food store |
| same items that you would in a standard grocery | | | | has come. Sure you can still find the small ones if you |
| store - but with one twist. Everything is organic. Usually | | | | look for them, but like so many other things these |
| when you hear the word organic, you might think two | | | | days, big corporations have taken over and created |
| things; bland and expensive. However, with all the | | | | franchises that offer more for less. Buying in bulk |
| options and improvements in the way of organic foods | | | | allows the stores to get better discounts and pass the |
| are produced, there are many items that are very | | | | savings on to the consumer. |