Shop Local Campaign Continues!!

Korrin B.

March 10, 2009 - 3:00 PM

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my shop local campaign, it is pretty self-explanatory. Basically, I believe that local stores are amazing and that everyone should choose to shop local to support our local businesses and economy. I have decided to occasionally write a post that describes some of our amazing local stores here in Eugene in an attempt to get people to explore them more. Today's post will focus on local, natural food stores! Yes!

First on the list is the Kiva,  located at 125 West 11th Avenue. I love the Kiva! When I first came back from Greece, I was searching for a place that actually had good, fresh feta cheese. After trying some pretty awful versions of feta, vacuum-packed at Safeway, I was losing hope. Then, I discovered the Kiva! The Kiva has one of the most amazing cheese delis I have ever seen. There are cheese from all over the world, any kind you could ever want. They not only had feta, but they had three different types of feta - Israeli, Bulgarian, or Domestic. It was incredibly tasty. I also found some excellent Greek yogurt, pita bread, and Kalamata olives there. Basically, the Kiva allowed me to once again taste the adventure of Greece. The store also has organic produce, a large selection of wines, a great book section, and freshly made bagels. It is a small, quaint grocery store with a very friendly and helpful staff. I feel like the workers at the Kiva actually care about me as opposed to just being required to read my last name off of some receipt.

Next, there is Sundance Natural Foods, located on 748 East 24th Street. Sundance has a great college student vibe to it since it is so close to campus. The main thing I love about Sundance is its salad bar and hot plate. Sundance has the best salad bar in town, hands down. It is complete with all sorts of cheeses, even including those mini mozzarella balls. It also has delicious roasted garlic and fresh greens. Almost all of the products in the salad bar are organic. There are tons of dressings to choose from as well and it all comes with one of those cool, biodegradable forks. The hot plate has amazing soups and a macaroni and cheese dish that I highly recommend. Sundance is also a great place to go if you are looking for some homeopathic remedies, herbal supplements, or vitamins.

Lastly, I recently discovered Friendly Street Market, located on 2757 Friendly St. I love Friendly Street Market because it is tucked away in a neighborhood setting, so it is a lot more relaxed and mellow than the other two which are located near campus on in downtown. Friendly Street Market has organic vegetables, fresh breads, and even sells the vegan ice cream Coconut Bliss, that is such a favorite at the Sweet Life and with many of my friend, by the pint. The market has a very nice gift area that has handmade crafts, journals, trinkets, incense, and body care. Located inside the store is a café as well with plenty of seating, art to look at, and free wireless internet. Their menu is wonderful, offering many great sandwiches and burritos and even a lot of breakfast foods like pancakes and homefries.
So, next time you are thinking about stopping by Safeway or Albertsons to grab a sandwich or do your produce shopping, try reconsidering and go explore one of these amazing, locally owned grocery stores instead! I think you'll be glad you did.