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

Natural Grocers to fill former Hastings location on South Hill

Grocery and dairy assistant Reyna DeLoge stocks dairy products that only use milk from pasture-raised cows, at Natural Grocers, in Denver, on May 23, 2014. The Colorado-based chain plans to open a new location on Spokane’s South Hill, according to city permit data. (Brennan Linsley / AP)

Natural Grocers is coming to Spokane’s South Hill, according to city permit data.

The health food chain that sells organic food and produce will take the space formerly occupied by the Hastings Entertainment store, 2512 E. 29th Ave., near the intersection of 29th Avenue and Southeast Boulevard.

Permits for $820,000 in work have been filed and are under review by the city, but if the store opens, it will join the other Natural Grocers in the area: 4603 N. Division St. in Spokane, and 222 W. Neider Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.

The company was founded in Lakewood, Colorado, in 1955 as a door-to-door sales business by Margaret and Philip Isely. According to the Colorado alternative newspaper, Westword, the Iselys then began what was originally called Vitamin Cottage after Margaret Isely became chronically ill and became interested in the growing field of supplements and health food.

Ahead of its time, the store focused on organic, local food and the practice of butchering and using the whole animal. The Isley family meals were filled with tongue, heart, liver and other offal after the prime cuts were taken to sell at the store.

The store name changed to Natural Grocers in 2008 to highlight its grocery selling and move away from vitamins.