DUNGENESS — Nash’s Farm Store, which has had a roadside stand on East Anderson Road for seven years, is moving to a new location, more than tripling its space and expanding to a full-blown organic produce and grocery store that offers food from across the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Locally grown, locally produced, locally made” is the new store’s theme inside more than 2,000 square feet of colorful space at Sequim-Dungeness Way and the Towne Road extension, once the site of the Dungeness Tavern and before that the Dungeness Valley’s first creamery.
Store co-managers Mary Wong and Ellen Russell said they hope the store will open by mid-month after employees move everything over from the old “maxed out” 600-square-foot stand.
They will stock the shelves with a broad selection of organic foods from around the North Olympic Peninsula, including dairy products, produce, meats and locally made crafts.
The store will have a liquor license to sell beer and wine.
Between 10 and 15 people will be employed at the store to start.
Nash’s, which grows its produce, including organic carrots popular in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, grows its produce in the Dungeness Valley and employs at least 50 at the growing season’s peak.
“The business has pretty much more than doubled,” Wong said at the future store, which was extensively renovated and includes a entrance to its parking lot and covered open space for produce.
Wong, a nutritionist and herbal medicine expert, has experience managing a health food store in Los Angeles.
Russell has worked her way up at Nash’s from a clerk and produce manager. She is a wild crafter, who can identify edible wild plants, and avid gardener.
The idea is to create a store that specializes in food that comes from nearby — from farms in both Jefferson and Clallam counties, Wong said.
“We’re directly connected to the farm, and not only Nash’s but all the local farms,” Wong said.
Cheeses from Mt. Townsend Creamery in Port Townsend, greens from Johnston Farm in Agnew and blueberries from Dungeness Meadows will be among the many locally grown and produced items sold, along with Nash’s produce.
Breads and baked goods from Pan D’Amore in Port Townsend and Sequim, and Bell Street Bakery in Sequim will also be sold at Nash’s Farm Store.
“Our intention is to expand to self sufficiency items like canning gear,” Russell said.
“We do get a lot of customers this time of year asking for canning supplies.”
The store will have a learning library with reference books about health foods, and an area for children will be created.
No genetically modified organism products will be sold at Nash’s.
GMOs are foods with genetic material that has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.
Wong said that GMO soy and grains can cause allergies, and that Nash’s employees passionately oppose them.
Hours will remain the same: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.
For more information, phone 360-683-4642 or see the website at http://nashsorganicproduce.com.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
