Rollin Oats, opened it doors in 1994 on 2842 Dr. Martin Luther King St. North in St. Petersburg, Florida, This organic food store offers one of the best selections in the area. Rollin Oats has a great buffet too that I regularly visited. The Cafe custom makes any Vegan or Gluten free dish you can imagine. The aisles are filled with natural snacks, health food bars, supplements and natural remedies for almost every ailment. I worked for an attorney who did all the family shopping here. While the prices are higher than normal grocery stores, he swore that the produce and in general merchandise was worth it. He was paying for a healthier lifestyle and the additional cost of buying from a specialty store fit his family budget. . Both stores carry organic pet and baby food. Since opening in 1994 the regular customers having been coming. Katrina Morales does the marketing for both stores.
Special menu theme days are Meatless Monday and Wheatless Wednesday, Gluten Free. “”That tradition actually was a dietary restriction that started in WW I, when there was a shortage of wheat and meat in our country. We incorporated that concept into our café. Vegan and Gluten Free. We also have a Blog site that is interactive where recipes are posted and our daily food menu,” says Katrina. We maintain that original customer service, we’ve had customers coming here since we opened.” The store offers free monthly cooking classes.
The second Rollin Oats opened in 2009 at 1021 MacDill Avenue in Tampa. It is also doing well. The company does not accept online ordering, however. Orders are called in advance and prepared for long time regular customers. Staff member are all knowledgeable about the whole food industry and able to assist you in gathering an order.
Good Earth Natural Foods, 3110 53rd Ave E Bradenton, FL 34203
In 1978, Good Earth Natural Foods opened its doors not knowing what to expect. A single store in Bradenton was Florida’s first full-service natural food store. Today, there are a total of three Good Earth Natural Foods, still managed by the original owner.
Mark Egan, the Founder, is a fitness specialis. He opened the tfirststore next to a health club where he was working. Dominic Bucci is the Corporate VP. He comes from a career in the military and now dedicates his life and lifestyle to fitness. Donna Braunstein, is a licensed Nutritionist and joined Good Earth in 2001. All have one thing in common, they are dedicated to providing the same quality customer service and ensuring the quality of foods the stores carry. From the extensive variety in foods and supplements customers are likely to find almost any organic brand at one of the locations.
Bulk N Natural Food, 3737 Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota Florida.
Bulk N Natural was one of the early stores that opened in Sarasota in1992. I spoke with Mike Graber, Assistant Manager. The store is still small compared to chain size stores. He explains, “We do not have a mail order business, but we do have customers who have been coming down here every winter for years. When they go back up North, we get a lot of request for items that we personally gather up and ship to them.”
Besides the normal organic food selections, Bulk N Natural has a deli, frozen foods and wide selection of bulk flours, nuts, grains, cereals and pastas. The store also carries gluten free vitamins and fresh herbs.
