Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Vitamin Cottage moves into Riverfront area

New grocery in trendy district is No. 24 for family owned chain

Janet Forgrieve, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 4, 2006 at midnight

Text size  

More More Business

More stories »

Liz Isely was doing one of her favorite parts of the job Friday afternoon - setting up store No. 24 in her family business.

Isely is a Vitamin Cottage vice president and part of the second generation team that runs the growing Lakewood- based chain of natural markets their parents started in 1955.

"I love opening new stores - I like organization," she said with a grin, her work-gloved hands poised to move more boxes at the company's first real urban location.

The 10,000-square-foot space at Platte and 15th streets likely will lure more walk-in traffic from the increasingly trendy neighborhood, said marketing director Nancy Flynn.

So, while most of the space will look much like the company's other locations - vitamins and supplements on one side, grocery on the other - there will be some tweaks, she said.

The center of the store will hold more convenience food items - ready-made sandwiches, drinks and snacks - that customers can grab and go. Also, it'll be the first Vitamin Cottage store to stock fresh meats.

The spot is within walking distance for residents in the Highlands and Riverfront neighborhoods.

"I wouldn't be surprised if it became a top store for us because the area has been so underserved for so long," Flynn said.

There are two main entrances. Near the Platte Street side, two express registers will help speed pedestrians on their way, Flynn said.

The door on the other side opens onto the store's parking lot - customers enter through a high-ceilinged lobby and can use either stairs or an elevator to get up to store level.

When the store opens on Nov. 14, manager Daniel Masias will supervise a staff of 22, about half of them from other stores in the chain.

Chris Smith, who coordinates all the natural health and beauty offerings in the stores, has made a few changes as well.

In a nod to the younger residents of the area, Smith has downsized the baby products sections to fit more shower gels and more upscale products, she said.

At 7 a.m. Thursday, about 50 vendors and workers descended and began unpacking. By Friday afternoon much of the packaged goods were in place, and the team was still chugging along.

Vendor Roger Simmons, which has sold Now Foods supplements to Vitamin Cottage stores for 14 years, said the chain is now his company's No. 1 customer.

"The expansion has been huge," Simmons said. "Now, with all the renovation and revitalization of this neighborhood, they'll get a very metro clientele."

Vitamin Cottage grows

• What: Vitamin Cottage Natural Market, the 22nd in Colorado and 24th for the Lakewood-based chain

• Where: 2375 15th St., Denver

• When: Opening Nov. 14

• Next up: The company is scheduled to open its next store in January in Dillon.

or 303-954-5191