Eats Natural Foods is a success story, not only because of one man’s dedication across 50 years, joined by his wife more than half that time, but also for the dedication of wonderful, loyal customers who are now into second- and third-generation shoppers.
From a humble beginning and a $250 investment each by a few Virginia Tech students, Eats Natural Foods Cooperative has positioned itself as a premier organic grocery and health food outlet, bulk buying hub, eclectic gift shop and all-around friendly place. Stan Davis was a vegetarian seeking an alternative food source from mainstream grocery stores in 1974. A small 2nd floor shop in downtown Blacksburg about 12 x 15 feet, where Top of The Stairs (TOTS) is now, housed a small food enterprise which turned out to be for sale.
Eats (named for a diner at the top of Catawba Mountain) Natural Food Cooperative was incorporated under the new ownership in April of 1974. “Its mission has never wavered,” stated Stan. “Our state purpose then is the same as now in providing the highest quality food at the lowest possible price to our community.”
Stan was an electrician by trade, but a back injury sidelined him. As he spent more time in the store, it grew, and he became the first paid employee. Eats moved to a 20 x 20-foot space on N. Main St. a few years later where Stan installed a wood stove to heat the store during the gas crisis. When a place twice that size became available, he and his wife, Becky Farnham, moved the business across the street.
“We weren’t quite sure what to do with all that space,” Becky recalls. “We filled the windows with so many plants that people thought we were a florist store. But, it didn’t take long to fill our floor space and business continued to grow.” Stan says they became experts at space utilization and offered an amazing amount of merchandise. “We made most of our shelves out of wood,” he states. “The store had a nice healthy feel, and we were happy there for many years.”
On June 27, 2006, the store was nearly destroyed by fire. Becky remembers being devastated the morning after. “We were in shock. We didn’t know what to do but our wonderful, loyal customers did. They started showing up with mops, gloves, buckets and sponges saying ‘put us to work’.”
With their huge customer team, Stan and Becky salvaged what they could and opened just four weeks later inside Oasis World Market. “We were back in business, which was only possible with the help of our wonderful, loyal customers,” Stan declares. Several years later, Eats moved to its current location, again with help from those wonderful, loyal customers. “We started the move on a Saturday morning. There must have been 100 volunteers helping us move things in cars, trucks and vans. They broke down shelves, moved them, set them up and stocked them according to a detailed drawing we made.” Two days later, on a Monday morning, Eats was once again open for business.
As Stan and Becky step back from store operations, Hannah McKnight and Andrea Langston embrace the mission of Eats and bring their own experience and enthusiasm. “I started working here in 2005 when I came for graduate school,” Hannah relates, “and I’ve never left.” She loves natural foods and here was the opportunity to eat well with her discount and learn and expand her own knowledge of the industry.
Andrea enjoyed a long career in public education and had been a shopper at Eats for many years when she decided to make a change in 2013. “After leaving teaching, I wanted a job that would keep me connected in the community. I was drawn to Eats for its longstanding reputation and my personal commitment to healthy eating. The community aspect of Eats has far surpassed my expectations.”
Hannah and Andrea began taking over day-to-day managing of the store shortly before the pandemic hit. “Through industry trade shows, we learned about an organization called INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association) which is a co-op of small independents,” Hannah explains. “It helps with buying power to compete against big stores as well as supporting businesses in all aspects of operation. We became an INFRA member in 2019 and are beginning to realize the benefits now that the supply chains have become more reliable and the majority of customers are back face-to-face.”
One opportunity INFRA membership provides is the ability to offer sales on popular products each month that the organization has negotiated. “In addition to hundreds of monthly products on sale through INFRA, we can offer a low price tag on more than 100 CADIA brand grocery essentials,” Andrea adds.
Beginning in February 2024, Eats introduced an Eats Essential program with permanent price reductions on popular staples in all store departments. “We continually strive to find ways to retain our wonderful, loyal customer base as well as bring new shoppers into the store,” Hannah shares. “ And we support our larger community by donating to local food banks. This past holiday season, our wonderful, loyal customers helped donate $2,500 of healthy food to neighbors in need.”
Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Tom and Christy Wallace
Save the Date
50th Anniversary Party
Sat., April 27, 1 to 5 p.m.
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