The Wildwood Natural Food Market attracted hundreds of customers on its two-day Thanksgiving sale in November, with over 600 purchases, resulting in a total sale of $30,000. Carolyn Ellis drove an hour from Georgetown, Tennessee to enjoy 20% off everything, bringing her mother with her. “Having a health food store is a good way to witness”, Carolyn says, “because as Adventists we have the health message, and it’s something we should promote.”
Carolyn says she hadn’t come to the store in a while and was pleasantly surprised by the renovations. “I liked the setup, especially with how there is now an herb, vitamins, and supplements section. Everything is laid out pretty good.”
Then she reached the bulk food items. Flour, alfalfa seeds, and sesame sticks all went into her shopping cart, but most notably almonds. Carolyn has quite a story to tell about those. She says laughingly, “I bought them to make almond paste at home, but that didn’t work out too well. I just kept adding oil, but it never got smooth. Eventually I just gave up and ate it on a slice of toast as is, even though there were big chunks in it.”
Being able to buy fresh raw nuts to experiment with nut butters like this is important to Carolyn. “Eating healthy makes me feel better and keeps me from getting sick. I also prefer food items that are more natural.”
To the question of whether she would recommend the store, she wholeheartedly says: “Yes, they have competitive prices, carry a good variety, and the staff are very knowledgeable. You can ask them anything, and often learn things you never knew before.”