Idaho Falls - Natural Foods Grocers, etc. (Boise, Pocatello: coop, how much)

[WesternHeart]

(1)
For those of y'all that buy whole foods, natural foods, organic foods, etc., what are some of your favorite grocery stores?


(2)
Also, what are some of your favorite herb, homeopathy and/or naturopathic stores?


Thanks!
WH

[sav]

Eagle Rock food co-op recently opened downtown next to Great Harvest bakery. Farmer's market has stands from local growers and grass fed beef.

[twinprism]

My brother fills in one day a week at DC Natural Foods on 159 S Corner St. near S. Boulevard in Idaho Falls. Take Broadway across the tracks turns into Elm right at strange corner onto corner st.

It's a small place, mostly health supplements and homeopathic stuff I think, I've only been there once.

The people there are really nice. I'd give them a call and see if they have what you are looking for since I have no idea about their selection.

[norcalmom101]

Whole Foods Market is supposed to be coming next spring to Boise. Please write to them via their site at www.wholefoodsmarket.com and request a store in the Idaho Falls area. We are starving and will stock up there every time we leave this area. One of my kids even suggested we pack several coolers filled with ice so we can bring back air chilled chicken and lots of other awesome goodies.

[breer23]

There is a supplement place (Wealth of Health) in a strip mall off of Woodruff just south of 1st (a few storefronts north of Smith's). Haven't been in yet, but am going to make it up there some day.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Fred Meyers use to have a fairly large supply of organic foods. I'm not sure now. I think where to buy food vs. what businesses have the greatest amount of supplements is different.

I agree with SAV:

"Eagle Rock food co-op recently opened downtown next to Great Harvest bakery. Farmer's market has stands from local growers and grass fed beef."

Also, Twin Prism is correct about the location and products of the business mentioned in his/her post. Mostly supplements sold here, I'm not sure if any food. Twin Prism may know more.

Breer 23, My sister has been in the Woodruff business. It probably depends on what one is looking for. My impression is it didn't sell food as much as supplements.

Norcalmom101- good luck with that letter campaign. One was tried probably about 18 months ago with nothing positive coming back from Whole Foods Market. However, I encourage all to continue writing. That is how Olive Garden ended up in Idaho Falls.

One thought I'd consider when thinking of additional businesses for Idaho Falls, is not to look at Boise so much as Salt Lake City. It is very true the Idaho Business Review had a awesome article in March 2007 about the future for Idaho Falls and why businesses should locate in the area. However, currently, it still tends to be the pattern more businesses expand to Idaho Falls once established in Salt Lake City instead of Boise. Examples include: Iggy's, Red Robin (long ago in Boise, but entering an expanded presence in the Salt Lake City market), Ruby River, Lowe's and others.

Besides, the two local developers most likely to add a Whole Foods (Taylor's Crossing on the River was lobbied to add Whole Foods about 2 years ago, so they are aware), have other developments in the UT markets. Ball Ventures has some co-ownership of hotels in the Boise area, but no other businesses, or which I'm aware.

Whole Foods is entering the Salt Lake City market now. It may be useful to try to link the connection of Idaho Falls to SLC, as well as Boise. Or, it may be useful to get a copy of the Idaho Business Review article of why businesses should build in Idaho Falls. Regardless of how it is accomplished, I hope your goal is more successful than the replies some of us received months ago! Good luck!

Western Heart, it seems like you good lots of good tips from locals. Does the size of the store matter to you? I ask only due to possible mobility issues. The one Twin Prism mentioned is an older home converted to a business that doesn't have much room. Likewise, I'm not sure currently how much room for shopping the Eagle Rock Coop has (I believe they are suppose to be moving to a larger location, but may be wrong or have my timetable off).

Hope this helps.

MSR

[WesternHeart]

I have been meaning to get back to this thread to thank everyone for their help.

Mtn States Resident - your post was a great reminder!

[WesternHeart]

Oh fiddle, I didn't mean to post the above yet; I wasn't finished with my post.


No, there's no mobility issues . . . but I think that was very kind of you to ask.

Sizes of stores don't really matter that much. I'm not really into huge mega stores . . . although, I did have the very great pleasure of shopping at Fred Meyers in I.F. this past June when I went with a friend of mine. I was very impressed with everything about that store; the cleanliness, the friendliness of both the employees and the customers, and also "quietness"; i.e., when people used the intercom, they weren't screaming into it.

I didn't realize they might have organic foods.


I'll be in Idaho Falls by the end of this week.

My plan is to take the bus around to get a visual of everything and where things are in relation to each other.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by WesternHeart

I have been meaning to get back to this thread to thank everyone for their help.

Mtn States Resident - your post was a great reminder!

It's nice of you to thank people. Many don't despite a lot of effort from various posters to give their best advice/thoughts.

Have fun on your trip to Idaho Falls this week!

MSR

[Syringaloid]

I have family and friends who will drive from Eastern Idaho to Boise to shop at the Boise Co-op for organic fare. My aunt even says that the Fred Meyers in Boise stock more organic food than the stores in Idaho Falls or Pocatello...must just be the demand here in Boise.
But my point is that people should not have to drive 300 miles from East Idaho to come to Boise to shop at the Co-Op.
Idaho Falls should have its own store and it is good to see that a store has opened there. Wasn't there plans for one in Pocatello a year or so back?
Not to go off topic, but I saw mention of Iggy's opening in I.F. and not in Boise, but Boise already has several locally owned eateries similar to Iggy's that blow the roof off of Iggy's so I don't think we are missing out on anything here in the Treasure Valley by not having an Iggy's. Plus their food is like glorified Red Robin fare, nothing too intense.
Sorry to rant, but I got food sickness at a SLC location last spring when visiting my newly wed brother.