When Ellwood Met Thompson

Pro-local, anti-GMO, proudly Richmond

Founded in 1989, we have been practicing the mantra of “nourish your body and soul” for 30 years and counting.

Organically finding our stride as a full-service neighborhood market and health store, we have established ourselves as the unofficial anchor of Carytown, a community shopping staple, and stewards of preserving the future of food.

Proudly showcasing local purveyors within 100 miles of the store, staying true to our core environmental values, we have earned the title as a trusted pinnacle of the local food movement.

Reading the labels so you don’t have to, we are committed to sourcing organic, non-GMO and local products, in addition to using environmentally friendly containers. We 86ed plastic bags in 2008, becoming the first grocery store in Richmond to stop asking “paper or plastic?”

Part grocery store, part edible adventure, part community hang spot, we consider ourselves an experience and strive to inspire real change through community engagement.

Whether you run into a neighbor at The Beet, rub elbows with local food entrepreneurs while perusing the aisles, discover a delicious Virginia cheese — or our favorite, all the above — we can promise that you’ll leave feeling good.

We employ over 100 stewards, from a bakery crew that uses only organic flour to a nourish manager tasked with sourcing local supplements, body care and lifestyle products. Patrons can also find a coffee and juice bar, and our latest addition Billy Pasta, helmed by Billy Pie’s Billy Fallen and former Dutch & Company chef Caleb Shriver.

And while we humbly hold the title of largest independent organic and natural food store in Virginia, we love calling Richmond home. There’s nothing we’d rather do, and nowhere we’d rather do it.

Behind The Hood

Getting to know the founder of Ellwood Thompson’s

When Rick Hood first entered the health and wellness industry, he had no idea that he would be embarking on a 30-year-and-counting career, and eventually open the largest independent organic and natural food store in Virginia.

Born in Richmond, but raised in Kinston, North Carolina, Hood made his return to the river city in the 80s, post-college.

With a background in architecture, and an innate entrepreneurial spirit, the University of North Carolina graduate initially worked in real estate but was always looking for potential business opportunities. When offered the chance to partner in a small natural foods store with friend Eric Waters, the self-described doer said “yes.” The duo eventually opened City Market at Patterson and Libbie Avenues in 1989, before making a move to its current location in 1993.

Following the relocation to bigger digs in Carytown, the 20,000-square-foot budding business was catapulted into a new era. Rick took the reigns eventually as sole owner; the store adopted a new name after the street intersection, and Ellwood Thompson’s introduced itself to Richmond and the community.

By that time, Rick had experienced a spiritual and health awakening. From practicing mindful meditation and yoga to questioning the origins of his food and staying socially and environmentally conscious, he was fully immersed and dedicated to the mission of community & health — a vision he brings to life through Ellwood Thompson’s.

In 2013, aiming to create a culinary roundtable of leaders in the food and beverage community, Rick helped found Real Local RVA. Meeting monthly, the grassroots group composed of restaurateurs, farmers, specialty food businesses and local food advocates, encourages the flow of ideas and cultivation of partnerships.

When Rick purchased the nearby round office building at Floyd Avenue and Thompson Street a former physician’s office, it marked a full circle moment. His late dad was a doctor, and the unique and historic community gem now serves as the company’s offices as they look towards the future.

Our core values distinguish us from other natural grocery stores. We make sure everything we do serves to uphold them.

Product Standards: We provide a diverse selection of products with an emphasis on local, organic, minimally processed, sustainable foods.

Food & Product Safety: You deserve food and products with superior standards and clear labeling. We are first and foremost a buying agent for you, not a selling agent for our suppliers. We prioritize health over profits, always.

Environmental Impact: We work to preserve the environment for the next generation by recycling, harnessing solar energy, composting, donating waste, supporting sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and rewarding customers who travel in environmentally friendly ways.

Local Love: The great City of Richmond is our home. We work with local organizations, source local products, and encourage everyone to buy local goods throughout our community. Our market showcases local artists who share our social consciousness and add to Richmond’s rich culture.

Community Consciousness: We stay engaged with the Richmond community by hosting events and supporting causes that reflect our mission and lead to positive change.

Animal Welfare: Animal rights are especially important to us. We only buy from farmers who treat their animals ethically and humanely and don’t use growth hormones, antibiotics, or irradiation in raising them.

Respect for Stewards: Diversity, equality, and ethical treatment of employees is of the utmost importance at Ellwood Thompson’s. A collaborative management style adds to the entrepreneurial spirit of our employees, breeding all-around responsibility and integrity.

Our Core Values

Social Responsibility

At Ellwood’s, advocacy and inclusivity are crucial core values, and we want to do our part to make our community a more equitable place. Ellwood’s stands behind policies that support fair wages, gender equality, corporate responsibility, and consumer empowerment. We champion other small, local businesses, especially those that are independent or minority-owned.

Transparency

Fillers, toxins, GMOs, and preservatives have made their way into the products sold in conventional grocery stores disguised as “natural” and “fresh” due to inadequate regulations on what food companies can put on their packages.

We seek out and source the cleanest, healthiest, most minimally processed products from vendors who are open and willing to sharing their processes and ingredients.

Most of our vendors obtain third party certifications or invite us to their farm or facility to see for ourselves. They don’t just say they’re transparent, they live by it.

Please feel free to come in, ask questions, read labels, learn about certifications, and let us help you get to know and love the products we choose to represent.

Advertising to Children

Marketing unhealthy food to your children can put pressure on you as a parent, and is something we don’t practice at Ellwood Thompson’s.

Studies have shown that food and beverage marketing practices strongly influence children’s food preferences and purchase requests. Younger children are especially vulnerable to the marketing of unhealthy food and beverage products that use brand mascots or media characters because they have difficulty distinguishing between advertising messages and factual information. Children develop emotional bond with brand mascots and media characters as if they were their personal friends. These relationships are based on attractiveness of the brand mascots and media characters, and they can influence children’s food choices and diet. Toys and games distract from honest food choices. They come with poor options like fries and sugary beverages.

The meals we serve our children should be good food. At our grocery store, we’ve removed all products that are packaged to target your children through these kinds of ploys. Instead, we provide ways you can educate your children to help them build a nutritious diet and recognize the merits of a healthy lifestyle.

SOURCES

Consumer Privacy

Loss of privacy is loss of control.

Our customer privacy is important to us, especially in a world where consumer data is being collected and utilized on a larger scale than we have ever seen before.

At Ellwood’s we do not and will not collect your data without your consent. We pride ourselves on truth, transparency, and a warm, community experience with education around our environment and food. We hope that our customers look forward to coming into Ellwood’s to enjoy a good meal and connect with their neighbors.