Fayetteville health food store to open a long-anticipated new market, close other locations

A longtime health foods store is closing its two stores in Fayetteville and Hope Mills to open a huge flagship store on Sycamore Dairy Road this summer.

Apple Crate Naturals got its start nearly three decades ago when owner Brenda Harris opened a tiny store on Trade Street in Hope Mills.

Armed with just a product catalog, a price gun and a phone, she introduced customers to natural remedies while homeschooling her kids in the back.

“We would hang out and drink tea,” she said Wednesday with a chuckle. “Back then, we were just grateful for anyone who walked through those doors.”

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Since then, her daughters Allison and Emily Davis have grown up and joined their mother at the helm of what is now a thriving family business. One shop turned into two, and now they're bringing to life a new 8,500-square-foot store at 3938 Sycamore Dairy Road.

Over the years, the trio have cultivated a loyal customer base, gathered inspiration from natural grocery stores all over the country and designed the market of their dreams, which will offer the natural products that Apple Crate has become known for in the area — with the addition of made-to-order food, an outdoor patio and beer and wine.

Turning the old speakeasy into a health food haven

Formerly home to The Speakeasy bar, the building had fallen into disrepair as it sat vacant for about a decade, Allison Davis said. On Wednesday, it was a work in progress, but the market was starting to take shape.

Behind a food counter with a brilliant blue tile backsplash is a full-service kitchen where staff will prepare soups, salads, sandwiches, specialty coffee and fresh-squeezed juice to order. There will also be a pastry case, a hot bar and a grab-and-go area stocked with food and drinks prepared on site.

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While the store may open before the patio is constructed, the women plan to add an outdoor dining area on the northeastern side of the building where customers can eat, socialize and even crack a cold one from the store’s expansive beer section.

“People can come grab a sandwich, sit outside, have a drink, in an environment that's not a bar,” Davis said.

She said the store will stock regional and international brews, vino, hard kombucha and alcohol alternatives like adaptogen and CBD drinks. Hemp products are nothing new for Apple Crate, Davis said, the store was the first in the state to carry CBD.

Apple Crate is grounded in natural remedies

Even with the new products and services, Harris said, the team is sticking to its roots by helping people find natural remedies and support for health conditions.

An expanded bulk section will carry items like nettle tea, which can calm allergies; mullein tea, which can treat respiratory issues; and dried elderberries, believed to aid colds and headaches.

Apple Crate has long helped customers find trendy products, too. For instance, in 2007, customers sought neti pots after the sinus-clearing devices were featured on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and Harris answered the call.

Now, the store stocks items popularized on social media, like shilajit, a substance said to have anti-viral properties found primarily in Himalayan mountain rocks; Irish sea moss, a red algae packed with minerals; and castor oil, which is used to condition skin and hair.

“We are busting with everything from TikTok trends,” Harris said.

The Sycamore Dairy Road store opening is bittersweet for the family, as the other two locations will close when it opens this summer. Staff will retain their positions in the new market.

But the women said they plan to keep listening to their customers — who they said come from all walks of life, from gym bros looking for a clean protein powder to mothers looking for natural cold medicines for their children, to older people trying to stay healthy as they age — and serving them with heart, as they have for more than 27 years.

“We’re here for the long haul,” Davis said. “We care about the community.”

Food, dining and culture reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at tshook@gannett.com or on Facebook. Want weekly food news delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Apple Crate Naturals to open a huge store in Fayetteville this summer