One of downtown Houston’s empty retail locations is now occupied, as The Health Food Store opened for business on Wednesday of last week on Grand Avenue (a couple of doors south of Pine Street).
“We offer something that isn’t offered anywhere else locally,” said store owner Kathy Richardson. “We want people to be able to get things here instead of having to drive all the way to Springfield.”
Several varieties of food the store offers are produced locally, including meats, vegetables, honey and more. Many non-food items on the shelves are also made locally, like crafts and pieces of art.
“I want this to be a kind of community participation thing where everybody has ownership in it,” Richardson said. “And I’m definitely open to suggestions. We’re working to find out what people want and need.”
The Health Food Store also offers several types of organic coffee and tea, bulk foods, soaps, recipe books and books written by local authors, kitchen items and even select antiques. By opening the store, Richardson (a Houston resident for 36 years), is fulfilling a desire she’s had for a long time.
“I’ve always wanted a health food store in Houston,” she said. “I’ve always loved food, but different things. And I just feel that I’m not alone.”
Richardson and numerous helpers spent countless hours refurbishing the old space The Health Food Store now occupies. It now features clean and new hardwood floors, attractive lighting and several repurposed fixtures, but also incorporates some of the original architecture, like brick walls, windows and ornate metal ceiling tiles.
Richardson plans to host a grand opening at sometime this fall, likely at the same time the Melba Theatre project is completed and that refurbished venue is rolled out to the public.
“We’re only going to grow,” she said “It’s a long process; we’re developing and we’ll get better.”
Hours at The Health Food Store are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (subject to change) and Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Information can be found on Facebook at The1Health-FoodStore. The phone number is 417-967-3000.
“We’re striving to be your community store, and to be what you want and what you need in this area,” Richardson said. “I hope everyone comes in to help us be that way.”
ONLINE
See more photos from inside The Health Food Store in downtown Houston at www.houstonherald.com.