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Q. What is the most common question you get from shoppers?
A. For a long time it was about organics and what it means, but in the last year the majority of the questions have been about the meat we carry. We carry all-natural, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats. With the mad cow situation, customers are very concerned with where we get our meat and how it is different. Our sales are showing that people trust the type of meat that we do sell in the stores. And when they ask, we can tell them the exact ranch our beef comes from.
Q. What’s the store’s best-selling item and why?
A. Our number-one-selling item in all three stores is Penta water, and it’s because of the craze over oxygenated water. We go through pallets of it every month, and I think people are seeing benefits.
Q. Which are your favorite natural products?
A. The produce department is by far my favorite. I enjoy dealing with all the independent farmers in the area and being able to get product that is direct from the farm instead of warehouses. It’s all just so incredibly fresh.
Q. To what do you attribute the success of your stores?
A. First would be the quality of our products. Everything we sell is held to our strict standards. Second and almost equal to the first would be our customer service. Our customers love to come to our stores. They come here to learn something new. When they go into the vitamin department, they ask tons and tons of questions. When they visit the produce department, they ask whose farm are we getting these vegetables from. There is a real connection between the employees and the customers on an ongoing basis.
Q. What’s your best shopping tip?
A. Come prepared for a great experience, and come with a willingness to try new things.
Who: Wayne Weiler