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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Organic food retailer Natural Grocers plans first Spokane location

A Colorado-based chain of nearly 90 natural food stores is seeking to open a new outlet at Division Street and Wellesley Avenue.

Natural Grocers has a store in Coeur d’Alene, 222 W. Neider Ave., but would be entering the Spokane area for the first time.

The company is planning to lease property owned by the Hutton Settlement in its commercial real estate portfolio.

The plan calls for starting construction in November and opening a new store in April, according to city records.

A portion of a building now occupied by Office Depot would be remodeled to make room for both Office Depot and Natural Grocers.

Mike Butler, executive director at the Hutton Settlement, said Office Depot wants to downsize and use less space in the building.

In addition to the remodeled portion of the existing building, 9,000 square feet of space would be added to the north side of Office Depot to fulfill store needs.

A Natural Grocers spokesman declined to comment about the plans.

The family-run company specializes in organic foods and nutrition supplements. It was started in Colorado in 1955 by Philip and Margaret Isley.

In 2014, the company announced it was going to carry dairy products only from animals allowed to graze outdoors and not held in confinement.

The company is also dedicated to nutrition education and community involvement, according to its website.

The building now occupied by Office Depot was previously a Safeway store. Another piece of the development project fronting on Wellesley previously held a Steer Inn, which was torn down. That land is now a parking lot, but has had little use in the years since.