Natural Food Store Opening Soon

Shoppers in Northwest Arkansas will be able to choose from a wider variety of natural and organic foods when Akin’s Natural Foods Market opens the first week of June in Rogers, said Eric Hinkefent, company president.

Akin’s stores carry 30,000 products among all their locations, Hinkefent said. The variety will expose the community to a large range of natural products, he said.

Akin’s will add to the diversity of stores available to shoppers in Scottsdale Center, said Tom Hopper, center owner. He said he hopes the store brings customers to the center.

At A Glance

Natural And Organic Food Stores

• Akin’s Natural Foods Market (opening first week of June), 4019 W. Walnut St., Rogers

• Cook’s Natural Market, 726 W. Walnut St., Rogers

• Rogers Natural Foods And Vitamins,  310 N. 13th St., Rogers

• The Fresh Market, 2203 S. Promenade Blvd., Rogers

• Ozark Natural Foods, 1554 N. College Ave., Fayetteville

Source: Staff Report

Alexa McGriff, marketing director for Ozark Natural Foods in Fayetteville, said she found out about the new Akin’s store about a month ago. She said she thinks the store will help increase knowledge of healthy eating in the area.

“It will help to improve the quality of life in Northwest Arkansas,” she said.

Customers might go to Akin’s in addition to Ozark Natural Foods, but McGriff said she’s not concerned about the store losing customers. She said the customer base at her store might grow because Akin’s will help to educate people about natural and organic foods.

“There’s just one more place here promoting it,” she said.

Brionne Ouei, manager of Cook’s Natural Market in Rogers, said by email the new store will help Cook’s because it will expose more people to natural and organic products. Ouei said Cook’s will hold onto their loyal customers but will try to beat their competitor’s advertised prices by 10 percent.

Akin’s will carry natural foods, organic foods, gluten-free foods and vitamins, Hinkefent said. The store also will have free literature, lectures and a touch screen system to educate customers about healthy eating, he said.

“People come to Akin’s to enjoy the experience,” he said.

Akin’s officials decided to expand to Rogers after customers requested a location in Northwest Arkansas, Hinkefent said. Residents traveling out-of-state would shop at Akin’s stores and mention they would like to see a location in Northwest Arkansas, he said.

A message left with the company asking about the number of people the store will employ was not answered by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The new Akin’s store will be the first in Arkansas, Hinkefent said. Other Akin’s stores are in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

The location where Akin’s will be is new to the center, Hopper said. He's not planning for any other stores to come into the center, but he said Marshalls, Home Goods and Shoe Carnival all opened in the center within the last two months.

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