Walking into Huckleberry's Natural Market is the beginning of an experience. From the onset, you're greeted by the aroma of food cooking in the bistro, only to soon be met with a myriad of vibrant produce displayed in the store's center.
Founded in 1996, Huckleberry's was one of the first natural and organic food-focused grocery stores in the Inland Northwest, says current store manager Josh Davidson. That timing allowed the store to establish a strong brand that's lasted for decades — and generations.
"We have a lot of customers that will say they grew up as a kid coming into Huckleberry's, and now they're adults and they're bringing their kids into Huckleberry's," Davidson says. "They just have a special place in their heart for our market."
Davidson says Huckleberry's department layout is similar to traditional grocery stores, but with a focus on sourcing organic produce, meat, eggs and dairy products, and a mission to frequently partner with local farms in the Inland Northwest.
"If you're coming to buy produce at Huckleberry's, we're going to go through it and make sure that you're going to get the best you can find," he says. "You should be able to walk up and find the best one, knowing that we're doing the best we can to source the very best product for you."
Huckleberry's also sells a variety of scratch-made sandwiches, soups and other meals at its 9th Street Bistro, which also has a salad bar and an espresso and juice bar.
While the store doesn't have an in-house bakery, it stocks its shelves with items from other local producers like Chaps, Rocket Market and Just American Desserts, among others.
Recently, Huckleberry's remodeled its beer and wine department, adding a new temperature-controlled area and a spirits selection, as well as other updates.
"We've always done a good job of finding high-end wines and locally sourced beers and craft breweries," Davidson says. "But adding spirits to the mix and just opening up the floor plan back there was a big part of [the remodel]."
One of Davidson's favorite things about Huckleberry's is its staff, and he thinks that's part of what makes the shopping experience for customers unique.
"We have an amazing team of employees that work at the store," he says. "They work really hard to make sure our guests feel comfortable. I just feel like you can't really find anything else like [Huckleberry's]."
2nd PLACE: Pilgrim's Market, Coeur d'Alene
3rd PLACE: Main Market Co-op
