Specialty groceries offer unique options

Ready-to-use vegetable broth, Hello Kitty Ramen noodles, ready-to-serve chai tea and meatless bologna weren't items one could just find on the shelves of a supermarket, until recently.\nBut these things have long been available in Bloomington's specialty groceries. \nSpecialty markets have catered to a wide range of palates and people in Bloomington for many years. \nBloomingfoods Market & Deli, a community owned co-op, was Bloomington's first specialty market. Founded in a back alley shop at 419 E. Kirkwood Ave., 25 years ago, it has been growing ever since. \nThe Kirkwood store has been in business since 1976, and Bloomingfoods has since expanded, opening a second larger store on Third Street.\n"The Third Street Store was a po-folks restaurant, but we've done our best to turn it into a grocery store," said general manager George Huntington.\nThere are many specialty groceries in Bloomington, and each has its own personality and areas of interest. Bloomingfoods is no different.\n"Our focus at Bloomingfoods is on what is called certified organic food," Huntington said. "Of the products in the store, 95 percent are certified organic products -- conventional items are available if no organic alternative is available." \nFor food to be certified organic, farmers must meet specific regulations. Certified organic food must be produced without using residual toxic chemicals at any time before food is sold, according to the Certified Organic Web site.\nBut organic foods still contain agricultural chemicals from rain and groundwater. Processed and dairy food must also meet certain standards. Organic foods must be inspected annually by independent certification organizations, although the USDA is now proposing to set national standards for organic products.\n"Bio-regionalism" is another one of Bloomingfood's concepts. The store carries locally grown produce, soap when in season.\n"The concept is simple," Huntington said. "It is silly to be buying lettuce from California when it is in season here." \nThe store has a deli and tables, so customers can eat in the store or take things home; the store also serves coffee to drink while shopping. \nThe store carries socks, underwear and other clothing made from organic cotton, as well as vitamins, cleaning products and toiletries made from recycled materials.\nNot all specialty markets focus on organic and health foods. Others, such as Sahara Mart and The Oriental International Market, also have unique focus and atmosphere.\n"This is what a store used to be. What your parents and grandparents went to," said Jon Nilsen, an employee of Sahara Mart, 106 E. Second St. "People go to the malls and supermarkets now and can grow up never knowing what a real store is like." \nBut the Sahara Mart has more exotic fare than the mom and pop stores of old, Nilsen said.\n"There are not many places that sell African dried fish and the latest vitamin supplement in the same store," said Nilsen. "I'm sure you could find many of these things on the Internet, but when (customers) come in here, (they) are greeted and we have a knowledgeable staff that can answer questions, give recipes and help them use the food." \nAlthough it does carry some organic and natural food, Sahara Mart carries a wide variety of ethnic foods from Greece, France and Bulgaria. The store also sells about 100 gourmet coffees in bulk and has an ethnic deli with items such as dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), baklava, falafel, spinach pie and samosa. \nThe store also sells dietary supplements, shampoos, massage oil and incense. \nOther specialty stores, such as The Oriental International Market, 408 E. Fourth St., carry many ethnic foods but focus on specific ethnic groups.\n"We carry many items from other countries. We have Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Vietnamese and Mexican foods," said store manager Sonia Akhras. "We carry food from several different countries, but about 70 percent is Asian food."\nThe Oriental International Market carries uncommon produce items such as tomatillos, avocados, plantains, chayote, cassava and persimmon. It also has a deli with many Middle Eastern dishes and tables so customers can eat in the store.\nBecause of its largely foreign clientele, owner Ali Akhras and manager Sonia Akhras benefit from knowing several languages. Ali Akhras speaks Arabic, English and some Chinese and Spanish, while Sonia Akhras speaks Bahasa Indonesia and English. \nOther stores have a variety of customers, as well.\n"You would be amazed at the broad range of customers that we have," Huntington said. \nIn addition to people interested in organic and vegetarian foods, Huntington said many customers have special dietary needs, are looking for specialty items or just like shopping at a community-owned co-op. \nBloomingfoods customer Janine Boer shops at the store once a week because "it has healthy organic foods. \n"(I also like) bulk foods because I can bring my own containers. That is very important for recycling." \nA wide range of bulk foods, including nut butters, oils, honey, spices, beans, lentils, rice, flour, hummus mix, cereal and dried fruit are available in plastic bins in the back of the store. Food that isn't pre-packaged is less expensive, and customers can use and reuse the store's containers or bring their own. \n"They (Bloomingfoods) also give the farmers (space) to have their own farmers market out in the parking lot. You don't see that at Kroger," Boer said. \nFrequent customer Frank Young does most of his shopping at Bloomingfoods. He said he enjoys "being able to get organic foods and have a nice selection of organic and health foods." \n"We do have several customers who buy all of their groceries here," Huntington said. \nBut most specialty customers are what Huntington calls "cross shoppers," who only buy some specialty groceries. \nAnd it might not be possible for people to do all their shopping at specialty markets. \n"Generally we do not carry a lot of meat and produce, so it is hard for people to do all of their shopping here (at Sahara Mart)," Nilsen said. \nBut most of Sahara Mart's customers shop frequently for many reasons. \n"I think you don't have to have stuff in here that appeals to everyone; people who buy whole bean coffee have tastes for things besides Folgers and Wonder Bread," Nilsen said.\nDavid Junkins shops at Sahara Mart about once a month. \n"Right now we are shopping for cholesterol-free products to bring my cholesterol down," he said. "There's a lot more variety here."\nAlthough specialty stores have specific niches, they must compete with each other and with supermarkets. \n"We want to run a successful business, but we don't want to be all things to all people," Huntington said. "If we don't carry an item a customer wants, we will send them to other specialty stores." \nBloomingfoods' newest competitor -- the new Marsh across the street from the Third Street store, which has a larger organic and natural food section than any of the other Marsh stores in town -- doesn't worry Huntington, either. \n"The impact from Marsh has not been dramatic," he said. "There are people in this world who like to shop in a smaller environment where they don't have to put on hiking boots to go shopping. Marsh does carry several products we do, but if people have questions about those products they're more likely to find the answer here."\nBut the chain stores are picking up on the act.\nMr. D's, 512 S. College Mall Road, added organic and vegetarian items only five years ago, and specific items such as sushi were added after its remodeling this year. Mr. D's now carries 70 to 80 kinds of organic produce.\n"(The organic food market) is booming on the East and West Coast …" said Rick Griffith, a produce counselor stocking organic products at Mr. D's. "The Midwest is always the last behind all other markets but college towns are a niche market." \nOrganic products are more expensive than non-organic produce because no pesticides are used -- bugs eat much of the crop, so farmers must charge more. \n"Until that price point goes down, I don't think it will ever really pick up in the Midwest," he said.\nMr. D's also has a healthy choice program that labels the most healthy foods to help people who have health problems or are on restricted diets.\n"We have a nutritionist on our payroll who gives tours, lectures and explains healthy food choices," said Martha Smith, store director. \nAs local groceries continue to expand, specialty stores have some advantages, such as lower overhead, which allows for greater profit. And many specialty markets save money by buying in bulk from wholesale markets in Chicago.