The Hippie General Store

on August 18, 2011
in All Posts

Welcome to Charlotte’s very own hippie general store. 

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Also know as Berrybrook Farms.  I think they should rebrand themselves as the hippie general store, though, because that’s really what it is! 

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Even though we sell a wide variety of natural supplements at the clinic, I love to browse the aisles at Berrybrook and check out all the new products.  They literally have everything – vitamins, makeup, shampoo, all sorts of food.  All natural, mostly organic! 

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The store itself is really neat, with worn wood flooring and old rickety shelving.  Berrybrook has been around since the 1970s, and I love it’s hippie charm.  If you’re ever in Charlotte, check it out!  It’s small and quaint but definitely unique.

 

Did I mention they serve up some very delicious food? 

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Today’s lunch was a Berrybrook lunch.  I grabbed a fruited lentil salad, a Stonyfield yogurt, and an Everything juice.

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The fruited lentil salad was so delicious; I need to try to recreate this at home!

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The Everything juice contained, well… everything.  Beets, parsley, carrots, apples, ginger, and loads of other goodies.  I didn’t eat very balanced yesterday (not enough veggies), and a fresh juice was exactly what I needed to feel back on track. 

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Hi ho, back to work I go!

{ 70 comments }

 

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat August 18, 2011, 1:23 pm

    The lentil salad looks delicious! I love little stores that have character like this one. I could spend hours wandering up and down the aisles of my local health food store! Have a great afternoon, Caitlin!

  • Leanne (Bride to Mrs,) August 18, 2011, 1:25 pm

    What a cute little store. Near my parents cabin is a general store like that… so much random stuff but its so full of charm.

  • Ashley O. @ The Vegetable Life August 18, 2011, 1:26 pm

    I LOVE stores like that!!! and you just made me want to whip out my juicer tonight and get my juice on!!!!

  • DadHTP August 18, 2011, 1:29 pm

    How old is the building? Has it always been a store?

    • Caitlin August 18, 2011, 1:39 pm

      Hmm I’m pretty sure Berrybrook has been in the same spot since the 1972 or 1973.

  • Lindsey August 18, 2011, 1:29 pm

    I love cute, little, unique stores like that 🙂 Salad looks delicious, you will have to share if you re-create it!

  • Beth (Well I'll Be) August 18, 2011, 1:35 pm

    Yes, please recreate the salad! It looks so good, but I can’t tell what all was in it!

  • Laura B @ My Reason to Run August 18, 2011, 1:39 pm

    I haven’t been there in years! My aunt took me there when I was a kid and got me some veggie sandwich and I thought it was totally gross. That was back in the day when I was anti veggies. I need to go back and revisit that sandwich, I bet I would love it now. I do remember it being a very cool little spot!

  • Michelle (The Runner's Plate) August 18, 2011, 1:56 pm

    I’ve made a very similar fruited bulgar/lentil salad before, and it was delicious!

  • CJ @ http://healthy-happy-whole.com/ August 18, 2011, 2:02 pm

    This place looks so cute. I love going somewhere and feeling like I stepped back in time which is kinda what I think of the general store. Awesome vegetarian and juice stands at reading terminal market! I was pleasntly surprised with all the fun options! Have a good rest of the day 🙂

  • Cassie @ Back to Her Roots August 18, 2011, 2:03 pm

    We have a co-op grocery store like this in town and I absolutely love it! I know I can always go in there and find the random, outlandish hippie food/toiletry I’m looking for. 🙂

  • Jen August 18, 2011, 2:05 pm

    obsessed with this store. it’s really close to my office. they have the best homemade soups.

  • Khushboo August 18, 2011, 2:17 pm

    Love cute stores like that, even better when they serve such delicious eats!

  • Sarah @ See Sarah Eat August 18, 2011, 2:19 pm

    That place sounds great! I love that it’s a little hippie store and you can get food and juice there 🙂

  • Sarah @ w30 August 18, 2011, 2:19 pm

    So cute! There’s a sweet little grocery store/sandwich shop a block from my apartment that’s been around over 100 years. I think it was actually about a mile away until the 1960s, and then they actually moved the entire building to it’s current location. I love places like that! 🙂

  • Corrie Anne August 18, 2011, 2:27 pm

    What a great place to grab lunch. i love places with character! So much better than hitting up Panera!

  • kristy @ kristyruns August 18, 2011, 2:29 pm

    Sweet store! I love making a veggie-packed juice to load up on extra nutrients!

  • Kate August 18, 2011, 2:31 pm

    oh my gosh!!!! i wish my town had a store like that!

  • Amelia August 18, 2011, 2:31 pm

    I’m curious about the cost of the food at the store. I live in NYC and would love to get fresh juice more but it is so expensive (the size juice you had would be at minimum $6). I was wondering if that’s just the cost everywhere or NYC insane prices.

    [I don’t know the etiquette on asking how much someone’s lunch cost, so if you don’t want to answer I understand!!]

    • CaitlinHTP August 18, 2011, 8:03 pm

      The juice was $4.5 I think. It was a large! The small is $3.95 I think. The lentil salad was $3.95.

      • Katherina @ Zephyr Runs August 18, 2011, 9:40 pm

        That’s a really good price… do you know if their ingredients are organic?

        • CaitlinHTP August 19, 2011, 12:14 pm

          Hmm I dont know for sure. The lentil was.

  • Erin @ The Grass Skirt August 18, 2011, 2:45 pm

    I’ve lived in Charlotte for nearly 6 years and STILL have yet to visit that store! I need to get there ASAP. I absolutely loves stores like that.

  • Chelsea August 18, 2011, 2:50 pm

    Oh wow those foods all look extremely yummmmmyyy!

  • Gina @ Running to the Kitchen August 18, 2011, 2:52 pm

    I refer to a store like that by me as the hippie store too! it really is the best descriptor..

  • Aine @ Something to Chew Over August 18, 2011, 2:54 pm

    What a cute store! I love browsing places like that 🙂

    The salad looks fantastic too.

  • Krystina (Organically Me) August 18, 2011, 2:58 pm

    That salad looks so refreshing!

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss August 18, 2011, 3:17 pm

    I LOVE stores like that!

  • Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga August 18, 2011, 3:20 pm

    What an adorable store! And I love the colorful, vibrant salad. Awesome food, awesome picture!

  • Katie @ Peace Love and Oats August 18, 2011, 3:22 pm

    That smoothie looks (and sounds) delicious! I need to find a good smoothie place near me or my school. I’ve tried the Jamba Juice vegetable smoothies and I was not a fan… too fake tasting.

  • Kim@ Wonderings of a Twenty Something August 18, 2011, 3:23 pm

    I love when little stores like that have the time and resources to put lunches and snacks together. I always feel better about eating out for lunch if I can do it in a local/healthy place!

  • Jessica @ Jess Go Bananas August 18, 2011, 3:23 pm

    There is just something fabulous about a store that was healthy and organic waaaayyyy before anyone actually cared 🙂 love it!

  • Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife August 18, 2011, 3:25 pm

    Are you going to the HLS??

    Love the store! So cute and quaint.

    • CaitlinHTP August 18, 2011, 8:06 pm

      Yup! I’m one of the founding members so I cannot miss it!! 🙂 Are you??

  • Maria@La_Piattini August 18, 2011, 3:26 pm

    There is a store just like that near me called the Basil Bandwagon. Even though they are crazy expensive I like to go every once in a while. Always in for very interesting people and products, plus they do serve food like your place.

  • Kiran @ KiranTarun.com August 18, 2011, 3:31 pm

    That fruited lentil salad looks so colorful and delicious. So tempting 🙂

  • Fran@ Broken Cookies Don't Count August 18, 2011, 3:35 pm

    That lunch looks delicious and the store is adorable!

  • Kelly August 18, 2011, 3:38 pm

    That juice looks great! What a neat little spot.

  • erica August 18, 2011, 3:44 pm

    i had one of those types of stores by my place, i loved it! sadly, they got bought out by walgreens and closed about a year ago….it sits empty to this day. grrrr.

  • Nicole August 18, 2011, 3:44 pm

    They have the best food…..I love their veggie juice and salads.

  • allpointswhole August 18, 2011, 3:48 pm

    Sounds like my kind of place

  • Baking N Books August 18, 2011, 3:48 pm

    Is there fruit in the salad?

    I’ve never had a juice – but do you find them too “sugary”? Juices essentially take out the fiber right and leave the rest which would mostly be the sugars and starches?

    • CaitlinHTP August 18, 2011, 8:07 pm

      Nope, they are actually tart, depending on which veggies you’re adding.

  • Hillary August 18, 2011, 3:49 pm

    I LOVE stores like this one, even just for browsing!

  • Katie G. August 18, 2011, 3:56 pm

    I love stores like this! I always say that the Mom and Pop places are where you find the best stuff and the best stories. When my bf and I go somewhere new, we always try to go to the local places or stores

  • Penny August 18, 2011, 4:25 pm

    Feeling very jealous of your lunch. 🙂

  • Penny August 18, 2011, 4:25 pm

    Feeling very jealous of your lunch. 🙂

  • Moni'sMeals August 18, 2011, 4:30 pm

    What a lovely store (and lunch too). I want a cute hippie health store, it ain’t happening here in LA! haha.

    At least I have Farmers Markets and Trader Joes EVERYWHERE, I am super grateful for both. 🙂

  • Emma @ Getting There & Going Places August 18, 2011, 4:35 pm

    Looks like a great store! I can spend hours in stores like this just looking at everything, and wishing my bank acount allowed me to buy it all! 😛

  • Heather @ Bake, Run, Live August 18, 2011, 5:00 pm

    That general store looks so cute!
    I have to work out in the morning. I am an early riser, so it’s much easier for me to be up at 4am for a workout. Working out after work…must of the time I don’t have the energy (that tells me I’m not very happy at my job.

    • Heather @ Bake, Run, Live August 18, 2011, 5:04 pm

      Sorry Caitlin. I just realized my response should have been split up between your 2 posts. 🙁

      • CaitlinHTP August 18, 2011, 8:07 pm

        Haha its okay!

  • Emily @ Write Twenty Eleven August 18, 2011, 5:50 pm

    As I read this, I’m eating something salty that’s making me very thirsty, so that juice looks incredible! I’ve kind of stepped away from juices recently, but that one looks very yummy and healthy. I can’t believe you got that great meal at that little store! Very nice

  • Army Amy* August 18, 2011, 5:53 pm

    The fruited lentil salad looks cool, not like anything I’ve ever seen before!*

  • Lisa (bakebikeblog) August 18, 2011, 6:01 pm

    oooh yes – that salad looks delish!

  • Tessa @ Amazing Asset August 18, 2011, 6:11 pm

    This store is great! I wish I had something like that around me
    I have never seen fruit and lentil together, very interesting combo!

  • Grace August 18, 2011, 6:33 pm

    I’ve been there!It’s a cute little store.

  • Robin August 18, 2011, 7:05 pm

    I love those little stores! When I first became a vegetarian almost 20 years ago, I had to buy most of my stuff from the city co-op. It’s no longer around, but it was so fun!

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin August 18, 2011, 7:36 pm

    What a cute place! I love stores with charm like that.

  • Emma (Namaste Everyday) August 18, 2011, 8:18 pm

    what a cool place! I love veggie juices and smoothies for that same reason. totally replenishes my body in just a few gulps!

  • Jenn August 18, 2011, 8:26 pm

    Hey Caitlin! I’m not sure if you’ve already heard about this but I thought it might be interesting to get your view on it maybe in a blog post or over on OB.com… a Diet book aimed at age 6-12 🙁

    http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/diet-book-for-girls-as-young-as-six-provokes-outrage-from-doctors-2340257.html

    • CaitlinHTP August 18, 2011, 8:29 pm

      Hmm I would have to read the book first before forming an opinion. Sounds weird, though.

  • Katherina @ Zephyr Runs August 18, 2011, 9:37 pm

    Awesome salad! That juice looks great, too. What a cute shop. I lived in Charlotte for years and never knew it existed!

  • Marissa C August 18, 2011, 11:46 pm

    Reminds me of the store the couple opened in the beginning of that Ryan Gosling/Kirsten Dunst Movie…All Good Things?

  • Sophie @ threetimesf August 19, 2011, 5:23 am

    I love cute old stores like that – I’ve moved recently and am yet to find ine 🙁 That lentil salad looks deeeelish!

  • Kaci August 19, 2011, 7:29 am

    I love finding hippish stores! That one looks very cozy.

  • Coco August 19, 2011, 8:00 am

    Oh I could spend hours in health food stores. I love finding new products and snacks.

  • Amber K August 19, 2011, 12:42 pm

    What a pretty salad and juice! I love beautiful food 🙂

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) August 24, 2011, 1:30 am

    Ahhh, I love hippie stores. We have a few in my city and I frequent them often.

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