NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A New Port Richey locally-owned grocery store is taking a chance on the success of downtown.
Wright's Natural Market has been in the city since 1994, but for the past five and a half years, they've called downtown home.
"We'd been looking for a spot downtown for a long time, and when this building became available, we decided to go ahead and move downtown even though it might be a little bit early in the resurgence of New Port Richey," explained Jeff Wright, owner.
In those five years, New Port Richey's downtown has changed drastically.
"It's changed a lot since Sims Park has really been redone. The demographics of the businesses downtown have changed. There's more retail, more family oriented things to do downtown. It feels safer and brighter, and there's a different vibe," Wright said.
Inside, you'll find locally sourced produce, some even from farms right here in New Port Richey, to spices available by the pinch and everything in between.
They sell non-GMO and organic foods. They also have vegan and gluten-free foods as well as a cafe inside the store.
In a time when locally owned grocery stores downtown are hard to come by, Wright finds it an important time to be here.
"So it's important because it helps with sustainability. It helps with keeping money locally," he said.
It also brings some life back to an old building. In fact, the building was once a grocery store, too.
"So this building actually in the 70s and 80s was a grocery store. So it's kind of full circle that we come back to this building," said Wright.
Wright knows finding access to healthy, nutritious and affordable foods can be a challenge. He's one of 12 grocery stores in the state participating in an EBT program.
"It's a grant pilot program where you can, up to $10 per transaction, use your EBT card. You can then buy fresh produce with fresh access bucks. That's a really great program to help give more nutritious food to people who are needing some help," Wright said.
On the second and fourth Sundays of the month, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you can find Wright's Farmers Market outside the store on Main Street, where local artisans also sell goods.
If you're looking for something specific or have dietary needs, you can always talk to Wright and his staff for assistance.
