The Natural Grocer

Shadow Xxx

I used to love shopping here, there was a great selection of herbs, tea, the deli was great with options that are vegan or just that you can’t find anywhere else, similar to the baked goods: I however, have stopped shopping there quite a while ago, and so has my entire family and I will explain why. My parents sometimes used to let me use their credit card to go shopping for them when they were working long shifts at work ,caring for my grandmother in shifts with hospice while she was dying,and dealing with rental properties. Well, I went in once and when I got to the register the woman noticed the card wasn’t mine and told me she couldn’t run it through without Id of the owner. This is understandable because even if I called someone on the phone there is no way for her to know who she is actually talking to. I was not upset about this, I know this is general policy for most places if they don’t know the parties involved. The problem came when my dad went in to go shopping and the person behind the counter , who I only know is a woman said something very inappropriate to my dad pertaining to me. She recognized his name on the card, and said instead of that your daughter was in and wanted to buy groceries with it ( even that would have been fine) that ,”I know something bad about your daughter if you would like me to tell you.” At the time she was clueless to the fact that I was having a lot of very complicated personal and traumatic issues I was dealing with , and she insinuated something she may have thought suggested one thing, but because of what I was dealing with, my father thought she meant to share something very inappropriate and mortifying about me as it would have made sense to anyone who knew me. I don’t want to go into detail as to what had going on because it is extremely personal. Long story short my dad said no and left because he thought she meant to share something very sick. He was very upset because not only was it intpreted in a very nonprofessional way, he now was worried about me even more than usual. My entire family has spent large amounts of money over time as customers. Every time I drive by to be honest I get pretty upset because even though it was a long time ago, I still am deeply disappointed and sickened that someone would think an inappropriate statement like that was funny or amusing . I thought as well as my mom, dad, and brother , that it was not only very unprofessional, but also hurtful to my dad. If this person , who I only know was a middle aged woman, wanted to cause problems for me, she just assumed I was lying when I wasn’t, but could have worded things very differently. Insensitive, insulting condescending, sickening are some of the ways I interpret the intention . My mom actually ended up crying, she doesn’t need anymore stress. I just got angry and really every time I drive by I am mad because as much as I want to go shop, I would never give another penny to someone who tried making me look like a dirtbag at the expense and humiliation of my father. The health food store that opened in Amesbury is where I go now , they have great options , medicinal and skin care products , lots of food and drinks, tea and also the owner is always there and he is such a nice guy, always in a good mood and extremely knowledgeable accepting and helpful. I would recommend giving him some busines . I’m sure he would have the same credit card policy but something tells me he would have handled it in a much more professional manner. I want to emphasize I’m not angry I couldn’t use the card that is a policy any store would have , I am angry about the way she turned what happened into an excuse to make a perverse statement to my father with no insight into how it could be misinterpreted. Thanks for listening to me get this off my chest :

Rachel Person - Brook, Realtor

My go to spot for a quick lunch! I’m gluten sensitive and it’s super difficult to find something fast at lunchtime. Not only does the Natural Grocer have tons of wheat free options, they are all delicious!

Suzy Feirman

Wonderful!!! Kathy, the owner, goes above and beyond to protect and serve both her customers and her employees! Excellent organic and natural products and foods. You can't go wrong shopping at The Natural Grocer! Have a question? They'll do their best to find an answer. Need something specific, again, they will go out of their way to provide it. AWESOME STORE! Definitely a 5 star store.

Carina Brunelle

I’ve been a frequent customer for the past 6 months. I love their coffee, to-go breakfast items, and specialty finds. I do not however, like the man (curly grey hair + glasses + plaid button-up shirt) who rings my items. The first time I experienced this, I assumed perhaps he was having an off day. He was unfriendly and threw my credit card back on the counter, after he had rung it through. It was very unprofessional and left me disappointed. I didn’t say anything and decided to try again. I’ve been in a few times when he isn’t there, and the people are most wonderful. I was in today (9/10/19) and he was there. He was once again rude and unprofessional. I do not believe he is a good-fit for this establishment that otherwise feels so warm.