With Ellwood Thompson’s recent revamp, owner Rick Hood is introducing RVA to a broader selection of meats, wines, beers and groceries, as well as a coffee, tea, and juice bar and expanded indoor and outdoor seating. The new area also houses the bakery, currently located across the street from the main store, and a “Community Room,” available to the public for social and educational functions.

In an ocean of changing dietary and social trends, Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market has held a steady course.With a newly expanded space, this enduring haven for conscientious consumption demonstrates that an independent business can not only survive, but thrive. “My motivation initially came from a very basic desire to live a healthier life,” owner and co-founder Rick Hood recalls of the early vision that would spawn today’s Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market. “What started as a small offering of produce, supplements, and healthy prepared foods evolved alongside the growing wellness needs and wants of the Richmond community.”

With the store’s larger space, Hood is introducing RVA to a broader selection of meats, wines, beers and groceries, as well as a coffee, tea, and juice bar and expanded indoor and outdoor seating. The new area also houses the bakery, currently located across the street from the main store, and a “Community Room,” available to the public for social and educational functions.

“We are thrilled at what this will mean for our customers: greater variety, increased access to items that promote health and wellness, more environmentally conscious space, and an increase in areas to gather and commune,” says Becky Lakin, marketing director at Ellwood Thompson’s.

In addition to accommodating more products and services, the business’ structural growth allows Hood, a former architect, to combine his dedication to fostering local spirit with his background in design. “With the expansion, and with each spatial change we make to Ellwood Thompson’s, I am given the opportunity to return to my architectural roots,” he explains. “Creating a warm physical experience – lighting, reclaimed wood finishes and solar panels – supports our mission of being the heart and soul of our community.”

Ellwood Thompson’s continued growth, it seems, is fueled in part by its commitment to timeless values, such as community well-being. “Each day I wake up looking forward to working with passionate people imbued with the oneness and family-like environment that only a small business can bring,” notes Hood. “These things motivate me to ensure that Ellwood Thompson’s continues to evolve and truly represent the initiatives of a local, community market.”