Organic Market on the Way to Columbia Heights?

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ATTENTION, COLUMBIA HEIGHTS — you might finally get an organic grocery store.

Residents fought hard for a Whole Foods last year, but plans fell through, leaving many young professionals hard-pressed to find organic soybeans near home. The debate symbolizes how developers and residents both new and old have clashed over their visions for the future of the neighborhood.

But now Richmond-based market Ellwood Thompson's hopes to fill the vacuum, marketing director Lesley Johnson said. She said a Columbia Heights store could open within 18 months if the company can find a suitable building.

The store, which opened in Richmond in 1989, has become the largest independent organic food retailer in the state of Virginia. It chose Columbia Heights for its second location because of its "urban neighborhood" feel and demographics, Johnson said.

Johnson said 95 percent of the fruits and vegetables in the store's produce department are organic and a third are bought from local farmers. The store has banned all products containing paraben — a chemical commonly used in cosmetics that has been linked to weight gain and breast cancer — and high fructose corn syrup, which should appeal to consumers frightened by the recent controversy over food labeling in China.

The one possible snag? Ellwood Thompson's will only move into a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified location. But if a such a spot can be found, it should be smooth sailing. It's hard to imagine Columbia Heights residents protesting the market the way they did Ross Dress for Less.

» "A Natural Market in Columbia Heights" [Painterly Visions via DCBlogs]

Written by Express contributor Gabe Nelson
Screen capture from ellwoodthompsons.com