Reader: Why didn't Natural Grocers open sooner in Capitol Hill?

Vitamin Cottage opened its first store fifty years ago in Lakewood. Today the natural-foods enterprise has morphed into Natural Grocers, with locations in a dozen states -- including a brand-new store that opened this week in Capitol Hill, at 1433 Washington Street. But while the store was definitely welcomed by...

By Patricia Calhoun

February 19, 2014

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Vitamin Cottage opened its first store fifty years ago in Lakewood. Today the natural-foods enterprise has morphed into Natural Grocers, with locations in a dozen states -- including a brand-new store that opened this week in Capitol Hill, at 1433 Washington Street. But while the store was definitely welcomed by a neighborhood lacking in grocery options, its debut was overshadowed by a trio of Trader Joe's outposts opening on February 14, the day before the soft opening of this Natural Grocers spot.

Says B-Rad:

Sucks to be the ugly kid at the prom, wishing someone would ask you to dance. Definitely the worst selected opening date in a PR kinda way.

But Jonathan is just glad to see the store there:

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage whoop whoop! Great to finally have this in Capitol Hill. My biggest complaint, though, is, why the heck didn't you all open up sooner in Capitol Hill? Needless to say, I'll still do a lot of buying there.

Have you been to a Natural Grocers store? Trader Joe's? How do you think the two compare? If you live in Capitol Hill, where do you shop?

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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