New organic, natural food store to open Aug. 2

By Kristina Lord kristina@tcjournal.biz

A growing organic and natural foods chain is gearing up to open a new grocery store Aug. 2 in Kennewick.

Natural Grocers is remodeling the 15,597-square-foot building at 751 N. Columbia Center Blvd. It used to be home to Joann Fabric and Craft, which recently opened a store at Columbia Center mall.

The new grocery store, which will employ 16 people, will sell organic produce, body care, books, bulk foods, dairy products, dietary supplements, frozen products, grab-and-go items, household and organic pet products, meat and seafood.

The family-operated company has 166 stores in 21 states, including four others in Washington.

“Natural Grocers is thrilled to be opening a new location in Kennewick. We’ve been serving communities in Washington since 2014, when we came to Vancouver. We currently have four stores in Washington: two in Spokane and two in Vancouver. Kennewick is the perfect place to bridge the gap in south-central Washington — something many locals have been asking us to do for years,” said Katie Macarelli, spokeswoman for Natural Grocers, in an email to the TriCities Area Journal of Business.

Its parent company, Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc., which trades under can expect a “rustic country pub vibe.”

“Rustic, but a good pour,” she added. “We want it to be upscale – not fancy –but slightly nicer than your average bar … We’ll do dark wainscoting on the walls and we bought this wallpaper that’s textured with design, and then you paint it whatever color you want.”

The floor plan concept shows a bar, 10 tables and a sitting area facing Kennewick Avenue. Dozhier said there will be a classic chesterfield sofa.

They put a lot of thought into the name and one day it revealed itself to them.

“In England, British pub names don’t make any sense,” Dozhier said. “Like the Lamb and Packet, for example, or The Broadfield Arms. But they make perfect sense to Brits. I told Neil that I want it to sound like a British pub, but I want it to be crystal clear what it is.”

One day, they were driving down a street in Seattle and Dozhier’s eye was caught by the word “blackthorn” in a business name.

“What about Blackthorn?” she asked Darwen.

As it turns out, the berries from the blackthorn bush are an ingredient in sloe gin.

“When we realized that, it made perfect sense,” she said.

And so Blackthorne Neighbourhood Pub was born, after the addition of some British English spelling conventions.

“Our focus will be on imports rather than local, but there will be local options,” Dozhier said. “Tri-Cities is very local-centric, but … there are so many other wine regions and beer regions that are awesome and we want to showcase some of that.”

She forewarned that they won’t stock a the symbol “NGVC,” reported in May that it had signed leases for an additional five new stores it plans to open in fiscal year 2023 and beyond. It opened 26 new stores over the five-year period ending Sept. 30, 2022.

The company’s net sales were $283.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023, an increase of $11.4 million, or 4.2%, compared to net sales of $271.8 million for the same period a year ago, according to documents filed with the Securities full bar selection.

“There won’t be Jack Daniel’s – the goal is not to do the same stuff as you can get (elsewhere),” she said.

Family-friendly additions

To add to the family-friendly atmosphere reminiscent of English pubs, they will also have a full menu of “zero-proof” nonalcoholic cocktails, beers and more.

“We want to create a different attitude around it and lend to the culture of not drinking and let people still participate with fun glassware and garnishes,” she said.

Light, “healthy” food items will be available, such as salads and sandwiches, with more to be developed. Dozhier hopes to cultivate an environment people will come and take their time experiencing, as is the custom at establishments throughout the U.K. and Europe.

A brew of their own

Dozhier is grateful to have had the support of the White Bluffs Brewing team behind her who have helped them throughout the process.

The head brewer even made the suggestion, “Why don’t we make a beer for your pub?”

Blackthorne Bitter has made a successful first run in White Bluffs’ taproom and will exclusively be available at Blackthorne Neighbourhood Pub and White Bluffs.

White Bluffs’ famous Nectar of the Gods also will be on draft at Blackthorne.

Dozhier said some might question the addition of another bar to downtown Kennewick, but she said they have a greater intention for the business.

“It’s a unicorn location – the corner spot in the middle of downtown,” she said. “We really want to cultivate some culture or ac- and Exchange Commission.

The company leases most of its stores, a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center and its administrative offices. Lease terms generally range from 10 to 25 years, according to financial documents. Each store costs the company an average of $2.4 million to open, with a five-year expected return on investment.

BCCM Construction Group of Kansas City, Missouri, is the general contractor for the tenant remodel, valued at $812,400, ac- tivity in downtown on Sundays that doesn’t already exist.”

She said Tri-Cities needs a space friendly to all ages for open mics and jam sessions.

“We really want to make the space musical. To both of us, that’s really important. (Darwen)’s a musician as a hobby, and I grew up in a very musical household, so there’s always music in our house. We want to bring that same vibe to the pub and leave cording to the building permit filed with the city of Kennewick. a guitar there for people who want to pick up and play.”

The Kennewick store plans to partner with the nonprofit Second Harvest. Whenever customers bring in their own reusable bag, Natural Grocers donates 5 cents to its local food bank partner. Stores also hold additional fundraisers and food drives throughout the year.

Natural Grocers got its start in 1955 in Colorado. It operates a bulk food repackaging facility and distribution center in Golden, Colorado.

“We are here to fuel your outdoor adventures, support your community through outreach and education, and provide your dayto-day grocery needs. We look forward to empowering the health and wellness of the Kennewick customers and your surrounding communities by offering the highestquality products at always affordable prices, environmentally-friendly practices and by providing our employees with great jobs that pay well,” Macarelli said.

Freebies, sweepstakes and discounts are planned during the store’s grand opening, which kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 2. Store hours will be from 8:30 a.m.-8:36 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-7:35 p.m. Sunday. The unusual store hours are correct.

Go to: naturalgrocers.com/store/kennewick.

They hope to be open Blackthorne’s doors and loosen the taps by the end of summer. A weekend-long grand opening will be announced on social media featuring live music and kids’ activities.

Search Blackthorne Neighbourhood Pub: 201 W. Kennewick Ave., Kennewick; blackthornepub.net; Facebook, Instagram.