Wed
Jun 18 2008
11:42 am
Nature's Pantry, a locally owned organic food store and restaurant, is closing
By: AlexLavidge

Nature's Pantry, 6600 Kingston Pike in West Knoxville, is going out of business. It's an organic/natural health food store and was home to "Organic Roots," one of the only raw vegan restaurants in Knoxville that I know of. Besides the corporate branch of Earth Fare, it was the only place where I could go to get fresh wheatgrass juice, for instance.

The adjacent building, "Well by Nature," a center that provides alternative wellness services, is also closing.

I can only speculate as to why this happened but my guess is that as a small business, it was just too hard for them to compete in a market that doesn't really understand the benefits of what they were trying to offer.

If you're a vegetarian, a vegan, a raw foodist, or if you are at all interested in studying the corrupt politics and history behind the food we eat, you know that Knoxville still has a way to go with providing an ample selection of restaurants, community resources, and alternatives to the typical mainstream American diet.

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Rachel's picture

Nature's Pantry has been

Submitted by Rachel on Wed, 2008/06/18 - 1:37pm.

Nature's Pantry has been around for a long time, but the owner, Ann Yates, died not too long ago. I'm sure that's the reason for the closing.

Too bad; I shop there frequently.

Carole Borges's picture

That's sad news

Submitted by Carole Borges on Wed, 2008/06/18 - 3:25pm.

Yawah Awolowo the owner of Roots cafe there is a genius when it comes to creating delcious healthy (mostly raw) food.

Bizzy's picture

So Sorry to Hear

Submitted by Bizzy on Wed, 2008/06/18 - 10:33pm.

I didn't know about Ann's passing and really hated to hear it as well as Nature's Pantry closing.

The most knowledgeable person at Nature's Pantry left some time ago. His name is Kenny Stevens and I think he went to work at Go Nutrition in Farragut. He worked with Ann for many years and I'm sure he learned much from her.

talidapali's picture

It is disheartening to be a vegetarian in Knoxville...

Submitted by talidapali on Thu, 2008/06/19 - 11:37pm.

there are so few choices in places to shop and most of those are in WEST Knoxville. If you live on the north or east side of town you have to drive an inordinate amount to do your shopping. I suggested to the food co-op that they might take a look at the old Target store in Ftn. City as a place to move to that would allow them to expand ...maybe add a cafe or something in part of the building. There is also an old Bi-Lo Supermarket space in Halls that would be good for an Earth Fare or Wild Oats or something like that.

Unfortunately most of Knoxville is just not interested in non-meat shopping...

I wind up doing my shopping for meat substitutes and other products online. Saves me a quarter tank of gas, although I suppose I do pay for it in shipping costs...

_________________________________________________
"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"
"I never said I wasn't a brat..." ~ Talidapali

Bird_dog's picture

Roots Cafe

Submitted by Bird_dog on Thu, 2008/06/19 - 4:53pm.

I hope Yawah can open Roots Cafe somewhere else. I know that a restaurant has been a dream of hers for many years. And the food was so good!!!

Treehouse's picture

Restaurant

Submitted by Treehouse on Thu, 2008/06/19 - 10:18pm.

Yahweh is talking about Central Avenue. Yeah! I hope it all works out.

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