The Little Shop That Could: A Retailer's Love Affair with Community & Food

Debra Stark, founder of Debra’s Natural Gourmet, has published a new book that is simply delightful. In its pages, Debra tells the tale of a young woman with a crazy dream to bring organic foods and a holistic way of living to the neighborhood of West Concord in the early 1990s. This book is a fun, lighthearted, and compelling story that reveals through its pages why Debra has become such a beloved figure in and around Concord (and nationwide!). The story tells tales about regulatory law and potlucks, explains why Debra ordered 6,000 pounds of olives in 5-gallon pails just in time for the shop’s opening in 1989, and shares lessons learned along the way.

For Those Seeking a Heartwarming Tale of Family and Friends

Debra's Natural Gourmet started with Debra's mom - who reared her children on organic foods (there was no Jiffy® peanut butter in the Stark household) and natural medicine. Years later, and armed with great recipes and lots of knowledge from her mother, Debra would take that same philosophy (think garlic, green tea, and laughter), and apply it to her fledgling shop.

"When I started my shop," said Debra, "most people in the neighborhood thought I was crazy. People in town actually placed bets that we'd go belly up in a couple of months."

Now, a generation later, Debra’s son Adam is partnering with Debra to lead the way for this little shop in Concord. The book shares their funny and heartwarming stories of friends who have gathered in the aisles of the shop over the years to share their happy moments, comfort each other through trying times, and to rejoice in one another's successes. Reading the book, you will start to learn what makes Debra's Natural Gourmet such a special treasure for so many.

©Debra's Natural Gourmet

For the Entrepreneur

In the 1990s, organic foods and natural medicine sounded more like voodoo than good advice to the people of Concord. Most people had never heard of things like chia seeds or tofu. Some bemoaned the replacement of the local knitting shop with a store selling 'kale'. And the men in the neighborhood missed their bar, too. Why did Debra's have to move in and 'change everything'?!

Thirty years later, Debra's Natural Gourmet is a pillar of the thriving and creative West Concord business community. The Little Shop That Could is teeming with great lessons for entrepreneurs: How to create alliances. How to pivot and learn in real time as you grow your business. And how to slowly and steadily use networking, community building, and education to shape your environment to be more receptive to your products and services.

For Foodies

The plethora of easy, delicious, and tempting recipes found in the pages of this book make it worth buying just to try them all! The recipes are creative, and will tempt the reader to experiment with ‘organic’ foods. Debra believes you’ll love them!

“I hope that people in the town read this book and are proud of what we have all achieved together,” said Debra. “I want everyone to know how wonderful organic foods and natural medicine are – and, most of all, I hope the readers laugh like crazy at all the shenanigans that go on in this wonderful little shop that could.”

You can find a copy of The Little Shop That Could at the Concord Bookshop or at Debra’s Natural Gourmet in West Concord. To sign up for Debra’s monthly newsletter with terrific articles and recipes, go to www.DebrasNaturalGourmet.com.