The Mustard Seed Market, located in Montrose, opened in April 1981 and is the largest locally owned retailer of natural and organic foods in Ohio.

Gabe Nabors, owner of the Mustard Seed, said his mother started the business by herself with one employee. She wanted to live a healthy lifestyle and create a store that didn’t have preservatives or food coloring in the products.

“My mom believed that people should have a choice in the foods they ate,” Nabors said.

The main goal of Mustard Seed is to serve the customers. The market has standards that all the products must abide by, Nabors said. All of the products sold do not contain any artificial flavoring, food coloring, preservatives or aspartame. The beauty department features products that are cruelty-free.

The store also has different teams that sample the products before selling them in the store, Nabors said. Different departments have different buyers who specialize in each line of products.

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Nabors said the fruits and vegetables come from various locations, but they put an emphasis on local and organic products.

“That’s what truly sets us apart and why we are so proud of our produce,” Nabors said.

The market sells a variety of items, including beer and wine, gluten-free pizza and fresh tofu steaks. Samples of the different items can be found throughout the store each day. Some of the sample foods are sold on the shelves, while others can be found in the deli.

The market kitchen serves many different pre-made dishes that include healthy raw foods to a customer’s favorite dishes at home, Nabors said. Kale is considered one of the healthiest vegetables, and the kitchen makes a lot of food with it. There are always a variety of pre-made dishes because the market kitchen items change daily.

Nabors said his favorite items in the deli are the Backyard Macaroni and the butternut squash. His brother, also part-owner of the Mustard Seed, loves the healthy raw salads.

“I’m not a fan of squash, but it’s just incredible what they do with it,” Nabors said.

On the second floor of the Mustard Seed is the cafe. The cafe is very popular and features items that differ from what is in the market. Nabors said some of the popular items on the menu are salmon salads, chicken quesadillas, bison meatloaf and vegetable stir fry.

He said the most popular and unique item on the menu is the all-you-can-eat Sunday Brunch Buffet for $13.99. It is the biggest attraction to the cafe because it has a full line of breakfast and lunch platters.

“The Sunday Brunch is very popular for holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day, and we work hard to make it extra special,” Nabors said.

The best part about the Mustard Seed is the employees, who make the customer experience enjoyable, Nabors said. They “feed the energy” into the store and make a difference each day.

Nabors said the store is successful because he believes in what he does and knows he’s making a difference in the health of customers.

The Mustard Seed Market and Cafe in Montrose is located in the West Market Plaza at 3885 W. Market St.

Contact Rachel Hagenbaugh at [email protected].