Welcome to the Neighborhood: Ann's Health Food Center & Market

Story by Amy Schultz. Photos by Garret Martin and Parker Thornton.  One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to go to neighborhood markets. Neighborhood markets tell you a lot about local cooking and culture and the availability of in-demand goods.

When my husband Brian and I visited Barrow, Alaska many summers ago, we spent about an hour walking around a local grocery store. Such a real-world lesson in the economics of supply and demand! The price of milk took our breath away, the variety of smoked meats and jerky brought a happy tear to Brian’s eye, and each time we turned up an aisle, we bumped into yet another rack of parkas. At the same time, there were whole product categories they just didn’t carry. No lawn care section. No floral section. Limited kinds of vegetables.

Ann’s Health Food Center and Market, which opened this month at 101 E Abram St. #140 in Downtown Arlington, has that same sensibility of a neighborhood market and a selection that feels like a curated cornucopia for living healthy. Instead of parkas and jerky, the mix at Ann’s is built from product lines that support a healthy lifestyle: vitamins and supplements, environmentally-friendly household supplies and personal care items, fresh local produce, and organic frozen and packaged foods. 

Ann’s makes the most of their relatively small footprint, which is a 6,000 square foot space on the ground floor of 101 Center, a mixed-use residential anchor along Abram Street. Other Downtown favorites associated with 101 Center and Arlington City Center include Inclusion Coffee, Kintaro Ramen, Kung Fu Tea, Rita’s Italian Ice, and Amore Mio. Ann’s is also conveniently adjacent to the Downtown Library, City Center Plaza, the Levitt Pavilion, free street and garage parking, and other nearby residential communities.

Ann’s Origin Story   

Ann’s Health Food Center & Market, locally owned and operated by the third generation of the Munchrath family, has been in business since 1984. Considered a “local staple in the natural foods and vitamins industry,” the team at Ann’s prides itself on “providing quality customer service, a knowledgeable staff, and a passionate approach to being ‘in business for your health.’” Ann’s other locations are in Dallas and Ellis counties.

Ann’s in Downtown Arlington   

One look inside Ann’s Market in Downtown Arlington and you’ll rejoice in the selection of farm-fresh produce. Their shelves and refrigerators are filled with thoughtfully curated choices for customers seeking options that are organic, natural, environmentally-friendly, gluten-free, allergen free, vegetarian, and vegan.

They truly have a vast selection of nutritional and organic supplements, homeopathic remedies, herbs, sports supplements, and function-specific vitamins.

As for personal care items, they specialize in products that are free from harmful chemicals and have not been tested on animals. 

Ann’s also prides itself on its experienced staff, who can help customers choose products that are right for them. They're also open to customer suggestions, including ordering in products they don’t currently carry. 

Maggie Campbell, President and CEO of Downtown Arlington, sees Ann’s Market as an important first step to meeting the needs of the district’s growing number of residents. 

“Downtown Arlington is currently conducting a survey of our residential community, and we’re learning a lot about who they are and what they need,” Maggie said. “First, we’re learning that you can’t stereotype our residents because they come from all walks and stages of life. We’re also learning that their number one request is to have a full-service grocery store in Downtown.”

While Ann’s Health Food Center & Market is not a full-service grocery store, its selection of organic goods and environmentally-responsible products is ideal for customers whose priority is an earth-friendly, healthy lifestyle.

As Downtown Arlington continues to look for ways to attract a full-service grocery store to the district, to me, Ann’s arrival is significant. It demonstrates that there is unmet demand for access to fresh food and groceries among Downtown residents. It suggests an understanding that this niche of discerning shoppers is important to the sustainable, long-term development of the district. It also shows that Downtown Arlington remains committed to nurturing the kind of neighborhood that has a heart for attracting local businesses.

Ann’s Health Food Center & Market
101 E Abram St. Suite 140
Arlington, TX 76010
annshfc.com

Ribbon Cutting 

Join Ann's Market and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 26 from 11am-12pm for the official ribbon-cutting!
 

Photo credit: Thank you to Downtown Arlington Community Development Manager Garret Martin and AISD intern Parker Thornton who stopped by Ann’s this week and took these terrific photos.

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