How idyllic, the notion of a vitamin cottage nestled in a happy canyon, where fresh- faced workers greet shoppers with the cheery “hello” associated with a gathering of friends.
As Disneyesque as it might sound, there is indeed a Vitamin Cottage in the Happy Canyon shopping center on East Hampden Avenue.
Although it’s a refurbished storefront space, and not a cottage, it does offer a huge inventory of vitamin supplements and all things natural and organic, from gluten-free millet and Health Valley amaranth flakes to Newman’s Own organic cat food and biodegradable doggy cleanup bags.
Welcome to the quiet world of Colorado’s oldest family-owned natural foods operation, coming up on its 50th anniversary, Vitamin Cottage has 26 stores in Colorado and New Mexico.
Shoppers will find sandwiches from Udi’s and such exotic soft drinks as Kombucha Wonder Drink, described as a “sparkling Himalayan tonic” made from Asian pear, ginger and oolong tea.
Judy Shore shops here often. Today, she navigates the aisles, contemplating what to do with the poached chicken breasts she already has cooked at home.
“I’m trying to think of some way to beef them up,” she says, her arms already filled with munchies for her grandchildren. “Maybe a put it in a sauce over pasta.”
Shore shops at the store because it is convenient, but for other reasons too.
“I was a health-food nut before it was fashionable,” she says. “I come here often because it’s less expensive than that other store. You know, Wild Foods or the Boulder one, Whole Oats, or whatever they’re called.”
She is referring to Whole Foods Market, the Texas-
based Goliath founded in 1980 as a small store in Austin, now the largest retailer of natural and organic foods; and Wild Oats Markets, founded in Boulder in 1987.
Today, Whole Foods has 183 stores in North America and the United Kingdom and Wild Oats has 111 stores in the United States and Canada.
Room for the little guy
Ironically, there is a Whole Foods Market just around the corner from a Vitamin Cottage at 30th and Pearl streets in Boulder. Both opened about the same time six years ago, and both are top sellers in their respective chains. Whole Foods spokesman Scott Simon says his company doesn’t have a problem with that.
“On the contrary,” he says. “There are times with retail where companies that might appear to be competition are close to one another, but in the end it turns out to be a positive. It creates more traffic and more interest in the shopping center. Competition makes everyone work harder, and in the end it benefits the the consumer.”
Think David, not so much seeking to slay grocery giants, but providing natural and organic foods to such underserved markets as Longmont, Glenwood Springs, Pueblo, Monument and Grand Junction.
And speaking of underserved markets, a new Vitamin Cottage is scheduled to open in August in the grocery-storeless Platte River Valley, at 2375 15th St. in the Shakespeare’s Pub space. The full-size store will carry organic produce, frozen foods, dairy, vitamins, herbs, health and beauty aids, and books.
Isely eyes are also on Steamboat Springs, Durango, Texas and Utah. Such decisions are made by an executive board comprised of Kemper Isely, co-president of the Vitamin Cottage with his brother Zephyr; sisters Liz Isely, vice president of operations; and Heather Isely, vice president and secretary.
“We feel we are complementary to Whole Foods and Wild Oats, not competitors,” Kemper Isely says. “We enhance rather than compete. We don’t have a fresh-meat section, but if you want fresh-frozen buffalo, lamb ostrich or elk, you can find it at some of our stores, and we carry as many purely organic products as we can.”
“If a product doesn’t meet our standards, we don’t carry it. Or in the case of one product, we found it was using an ingredient that wasn’t actually natural, and we discontinued it and told them why.”
This attention to detail has won respect from customers and regulators.
Last year, the Colorado Department of Agriculture named Vitamin Cottage Grocer of the Year. Measurement standards section chief Kristin Young says the award recognized excellence in packaging and labeling at the Lakewood Vitamin Cottage Bulk Warehouse, which distributes the pre-weighed packages throughout the state.
“When products are measured and sold by weights, our inspectors make sure contents and labeling are correct. We chose (them) for superior compliance, and a very clean inspection history overall,” Young says. “Vitamin Cottage and its employees serve as a role model for other Colorado grocers.”
Family values
The pride seems to filter down.
Tim Hanes is manager at the Wadsworth Boulevard store in Lakewood. Before moving to Colorado, he became interested in natural foods while working his way through college at Trader Joe’s, eventually earning a degree in theology.
He came to Boulder to help build a recreation center for a church and heard about Vitamin Cottage and signed on.
“I think what attracted me was how ethical the owners are about the company and the strong sense of family,” he says, referring to founder Margaret Isely, who died in 1997. “We have her to thank for free health benefits and dental benefits.”
And for an ongoing education program conducted through occasional seminars, the Health Hotline nutrition newsletter, and informed in-house staff.
Most recently the company launched seasonal television commercials – some sandwiched between portions of the evening news and segments of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
The folksy ads address the misconception that the stores only sell health products, and show an “inspector” who checks off all the items that are “not a vitamin.”
Although Margaret and Philip Isely established Vitamin Cottage, it was Margaret’s business acumen that became the business’ driving force. Her photograph hangs in every store. She died in 1997. Philip Isely, now 90, lives in Denver and travels as time and energy permit.
“My parents moved to Colorado in the 1950s and built a house on Lookout Mountain,” Kemper Isely says. “She had some health problems and started taking vitamin B12 shots, which helped a lot. As she talked to more natural foods people and learned more, she started selling vitamins door to door.”
Margaret Isely was so good at it that she was able to move those vitamins into a little house in Lakewood that looked like a cottage. (It’s still there, at West 14th Avenue and Estes Street, with the original sign out front.) The first store was called the Builder’s Foundation. The name came from Margaret Isely’s belief that good health was built on a foundation of good nutrition. A year later the old name was changed to the current one.
“It was the days of Wonder Bread,” Kemper Isely says. “I’d take my lunch to school, we’d all sit down and open our brown bags, and everyone had Wonder Bread but me. I had home-baked whole wheat bread. Kids would ask me what it was and when I told them, they’d all go, ‘eeuuw, that’s gross.”
All six of the Isely children grew up healthy, except for Robin, who died at 15 from an adverse reaction to a tetanus inoculation.
In addition to the sons and daughters of the founders continuing the family business, there are 16 grandchildren between 3 and 30.
Two of the grandchildren, Dave Isely and his sister Charity, are also involved. Dave and Carol, his wife, recently introduced a new member to the fourth generation, 7-month-old Christian. Dave works at the Denver store on Hampden.
“At first I didn’t think I would be involved,” he says. “My parents had a store in Walla Walla (Wash.), and I started working there when I was really young. Then, after we closed it I came to Colorado and started out at the bottom of the totem pole. I’m about a quarter of the way up now.”
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-820-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
Vitamin Cottage events
Arthritis survival
What: Holistic medical treatment program for arthritis by osteopath Dr. Rob Ivker and Todd Nelson
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: Green Mountain Vitamin Cottage, 12612 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood. 303-986-5700
Price: Free
Meditation and mindful eating
What: Kevin Doherty teaches techniques for overcoming emotional eating and food addictions, as well as strategies for making dietary changes without self-sabotage. Also hear a discussion of Asian traditions of meditation and eating
When: 7 p.m. May 4
Where: Vitamin Cottage, 100 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette 303-926-1600
Price: Free
Commonly used drugs and the nutrients they deplete
What: Nutritionist Jolie Root examines how the most commonly used medications deplete important nutrients and offers natural drug alternatives
When: 7 p.m. May 16
Where: Green Mountain Vitamin Cottage, 12612 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood. 303-986-5700
Price: Free
TO YOUR HEALTH, A-Z
In addition to vitamins and groceries, The Vitamin Cottage offers a wide array of educational materials in its stores and on its website. Here’s an A-Z sampling of the store’s products:
Arrowroot: Like cornstarch, this powder thickens puddings and sauces. It can replace some of the flour in baked goods to yield a more tender product. High in calcium and easy to digest.
Brown rice flour: This finely ground, gluten-free powder gives a nutty flavor and granular texture to baked goods.
Carob: Roasted, ground locust tree pods offer an alternative to cocoa powder and are a rich source of calcium and potassium. Carob is naturally sweet and contains no caffeine or oxalic acid.
Daikon radish: A large Japanese root vegetable with a sweet, pungent flavor, crisp white flesh and off-white skin. A digestive aid, it is often served with fatty foods.
Egg replacer: A vegan product usually consisting of potato starch, tapioca starch and a leavening agent.
Fennel: Green and white bulb with pale green stalks and bright green feathery “branches,” with a delicate licoricelike flavor. Used in sweet and savory dishes.
Ghee: Pure butterfat with a high smoke point so it can be used in sautéeing without burning. Ghee has a nutty flavor and is used in Indian cooking.
Hokkaido (kabocha squash): A winter squash with dark green skin and sweet, orange flesh. A rich source of beta carotene vitamin C and iron.
Immune-enhancing: Saw palmetto berries act to increase urine flow, to diminish inflammation and to reduce muscle spasms.
Jamaica dogwood: This potent herb (Piscidia erythrina/Piscidia piscipula) is best known as a traditional remedy for treating neuralgia (severe, stabbing nerve pain), migraine, insomnia, anxiety, fear and nervous tension. It has potentially toxic effects if used in large amounts.
Kamut: An ancient Egyptian word for wheat and a relative of modern wheat, kamut has a buttery flavor due to its high fat content. High in protein, magnesium and zinc.
Liquid aminos: A liquid condiment made from soybean protein. Often used in raw foods, liquid aminos usually contain MSG. Nama shoyu (unpasteurized) is a good alternative, although all soy sauces contain some naturally occurring MSG.
Millet flour: This flour adds a cakelike texture to baked goods. Because it lacks the protein gluten, it is best combined with wheat flour. Millet is beneficial to the stomach, spleen and pancreas., and is very high in protein, iron, phosphorus and the B complex vitamins.
Nutritional yeast (brewer’s yeast): Used in beer brewing and as a nutritional supplement. A rich source of protein and B vitamins.
Okra: From Ethiopia, this khaki green vegetable came to the United States with slaves. Best known as an ingredient in gumbo it may be stewed, fried or sautéed, preferably with some type of acid. Okra is high in carotene and vitamin C.
Panax ginseng: American and Asian ginsengs belong to the species Panax and are similar in chemical composition. A light tan, gnarled root, sometimes resembling a human body, with stringy shoots that look like arms and legs. May help in healing.
Quercetin: One of the plant pigments called flavonoids that are largely responsible for the colors of many fruits, flowers and vegetables. Acts as antihistamine and helps reduce inflammation associated with various forms of arthritis. Also works as an antioxidant by scavenging damaging particles in the body known as free radicals.
Radicchio: This beet-colored Italian chicory is available year-round. It has a bitter flavor and is commonly served raw in salads. Try radicchio grilled, sautéed or braised, or in soup or pasta. An excellent source of vitamins A and C.
Shiitake mushrooms: Available dried and fresh, shiitakes have a meaty flavor and texture. The fresh ones are good sautéed, grilled or broiled. Dried shiitakes work best in stocks, due to their chewy texture. Shiitakes contain substances proven to stimulate the immune system and lower cholesterol.
Teff: This tiny brown grain has been a staple in Ethiopia for centuries, where it is still used as a flour rather than a whole grain. Teff is rich in minerals and protein. Recent interest in obscure grains has created a market for teff in the U.S., and it is currently grown in Idaho.
Ume plum vinegar (umeboshi vinegar): A liquid byproduct of umeboshi plum production; green plums are pickled with salt water and red shiso leaves for one year, yielding maroon-colored, salty-sour plums and a pinkish liquid with a similar flavor. Use umeboshi vinegar sparingly in dressings, soups and sauces.
Valerian: Native to the Americas, Asia and Europe, valerian as been used to ease insomnia, stress-related anxiety and nervous restlessness for thousands of years. May also ease menstrual and stomach cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, some of the restlessness that accompanies attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and migraine symptoms.
Wakame seaweed flakes: These precooked and dried pieces of the sea vegetable wakame make a healthy addition to soups, salads and grains. Wakame is an excellent source of calcium iron iodione and niacin and contains trace minerals and vitamin C.
Willow bark: The use of willow bark dates to the time of Hippocrates (400 B.C.), when patients were advised to chew on the bark to reduce fever and inflammation. Willow bark has been used throughout the centuries in China and Europe, and continues to be used by herbalists to treatment fever, pain (particularly low-back pain), headache and inflammatory conditions.
Zhitai: Also called red yeast rice, this supplement has been used in China for centuries as a food and as a medicinal substance to promote blood circulation, soothe upset stomach and invigorate the function of the spleen. It is also used for bruised muscles, hangovers, indigestion and colic in infants. It is classified as a dietary supplement by the Food and Drug Administration, but some say it is actually an unregulated medication.
Source: vitamincottage.com
