Native Sun stays solo in market
P. Douglas Filaroski

For now, Aaron Gottlieb's Native Sun Natural Foods Market store continues thriving like a rose among thorns.

National chains of natural and organic food stores, such as Wild Oats and Whole Foods, have bypassed Jacksonville -- a market one local retailer described as "beer and barbecue."

But Native Sun's sales keep growing and owners continue to add departments and features inside the 10,000-square-foot store on San Jose Boulevard.

A deli opened in June; a juice and smoothie bar will debut within days; and Gottlieb said he is looking to add a second store by 2005.

The secret to success selling such natural foods as wheat grass juice, tofu wraps, and organic produce, poultry and fish in an area renowned for its fried catfish and barbecue joints?

"It's really because no one had ever done it before," said Gottlieb, whose 4,200-square-foot store in 1997 was perhaps the city's biggest natural food store to date.

Since expanding last year, Native Sun offers hundreds of products, including health, beauty and baby products; pet food and supplies; and vitamins and herbs.

The deli that opened in June began selling wraps, sandwiches, salads and soups to go. As a result of new deli sales and new customers, sales for August increased 10 percent over August 2002, Gottlieb said.

The take-out juice bar will offer 10 juices and a choice of 10 smoothies in such flavors as banana date nut and peanut butter banana pie, Gottlieb said.

Chains, such as Whole Foods, average 30,000 to 50,000 square feet in size and require a dense population of customers educated about organic foods, spokeswoman Karen Mathis said.

The company will open its seventh and eighth stores in Florida in Sarasota and Palm Beach in 2004, but has no immediate plans for a Jacksonville store, she said.

Wes Plympton, who owns Florida Health Foods, described Jacksonville's market as "beer and barbecue." But like any medium-sized city, there are an ample number of people who enjoy shopping in a store like Native Sun, he said.

"He's taking advantage of a niche," said Plympton, whose stores sells mostly vitamins and supplements. "In any city of over a million people, there is a place for it."

Gottlieb said he doesn't yet see a limit to the store's growth. "The community has consistently supported our efforts," he said. "We're going to continue to try to give people more of what they want."

© 2003 American City Business Journals Inc.

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