NEWS

 

Rumors have swirled over the last year or so that the acclaimed, Asheville-based Earth Fare was coming to Davidson’s Sadler Square to occupy the former Dover’s/Home Economist /Farm 2 Family big box, bringing a wide range of safe and healthy food choices to the Lake Norman region. We are happy to report that the rumors are true.

For details, we talked with Earth Fare spokesperson Laurie Aker over the weekend, who confirmed that the new market is expected to open in early summer. We can begin our relationship with Earth Fare as soon as today, though, by signing up for their newsletter and selecting the Davidson location from the drop-down menu. And if we LIKE their Earth Fare Davidson Facebook page, we’ll be among the first to know the opening date.

Earth Fare began as Dinner for the Earth back in the high-granola days of 1975, with a small shop on Asheville’s Merrimon Avenue. The store later moved to a larger space in downtown Asheville and has grown to 21 stores across the east coast. The Davidson store will be number 22 and the sixth in the Greater Charlotte area.

Here’s a short list of things you’ll find at our soon-to-be local Earth Fare:

• A large selection of bulk items, organic and all-natural options
• A café with indoor and outdoor seating and free Wi-Fi
• A broad selection of organic produce
• Cage-free eggs (Earth Fare was the first grocer in the country to introduce this product)
• Grass-fed, organic dairy options
• Fresh, 100 percent grass-fed meats, never frozen, no growth hormones or antibiotics
• Seafood, no artificial colors and 100 percent traceable “from boat to fork”
• Bakery with an Old-World European baking philosophy and fresh goods every day
• Deli with a hot bar and many grab-and-go choices

With the brand statement, “We read the labels so you don’t have to,” Earth Fare’s mission is to “improve lives by making healthy food available to everyone.” Since healthy food can come with a higher price tag, we asked Laurie about cost.

Earth Fare is committed to weekly and daily specials to increase the accessibility of their products, she said. For example, kids (of all ages) can look forward to a $1.00 muffin or cookie on Fridays, as well as a 16-inch pizza you can take home to bake for just $7.00. On Mondays, pick up a non-GMO roasted chicken for $6.00. Choice ground chuck and boneless, skinless chicken breasts are $2.99 a pound on Tuesdays, and a simple Thursday dinner can be super-lump crab cakes, two for $10.00.

Finally, a word to local organic farmers: Contact Earth Fare to inquire about helping to provide safe and healthy products.

Editors’ Note: The News of Davidson team first broke the story about Earth Fare in November 2020.