Natural Grocers readies for slew of new store openings

Growth for Natural Grocers

Following years of community requests, neighborhood organic grocer Natural Grocers is readying to open a new store in Incline Village, Nevada, this winter. Located on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe, the independent grocery retailer is hosting a special hiring event next Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We are excited to be opening a new store in the picturesque, active city of Incline Village," said Cameron Elder, recruiter for Natural Grocers, in a statement. "We've had community requests to open a store at this location for years.”

Nevada is not the only state where Natural Grocers is expanding into new communities. Later this month, the grocery retailer will open a new store in Kennewick, Washington, and in October, it will open in Twin Falls, Idaho. The Colorado-based grocer also has several new stores planned in its home state in the cities of Loveland and Gunnison.

Hot spot

Celebrity hotspot Erewhon opened its newest location in California on Wednesday. According to local media, hundreds of potential shoppers lined up on Lake Avenue in Pasadena to catch a first glimpse of the upscale, trendy grocery store chain’s 10th location. Who knew a grocery store is now a hot spot?

Teamwork

Retail coop Certco, which distributes over 59,000 items to independent grocery retailers throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa, has upgraded its online shopping offering with new capabilities from eGrowcery.

“By adding eGrowcery to our preferred list of technology vendors, we are helping our retail partners better service their customers across all buying channels,” said Emily Mallahan, vice president of digital marketing & retail technology at Certco, in a statement this week.

Chicago

Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human right and the City of Chicago is considering making it a civic duty as well. On Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced a partnership with the Economic Security Project to start on a pathway towards the opening of a municipally owned grocery store in Chicago.

“If advanced, Chicago would be the first major city in the United States to implement a municipally owned grocery store to address food inequity,” according to a press release from the mayor’s office.

NGA Show

Registration for the NGA Show 2024 is now open. The event will be held March 10-12, at the Caesar’s Forum Convention Center, Las Vegas. More details to be announced soon, including the keynote speaker.

Community connection

This week’s shout-out to an independent grocer that deserves the hashtag #KindessCostsNothing goes to Nichols Supermarket in Liverpool, New York. The independent grocery store has supported youth sports and community functions for decades and provides a retail outlet for central New York and Syracuse-based bakeries and food producers. In fact, Sen. John W. Mannion recently honored Nichols Supermarket in Liverpool with the New York State Senate Empire Award.

“Nichols Supermarket is part of the fabric of Liverpool and central New York,” Mannion said in a statement. “It’s a place where customer service matters, employees work hard and are treated well, and the quality and variety of products can’t be beat.” Congratulations!

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