Nature’s Bin in Lakewood to Close Nov. 12, Training Program to Stay

LAKEWOOD, OH — Natural food market, Nature's Bin released a statement on their website that the store would be closing their doors after 41 years in Lakewood and their last day open for business will be November 12.

Cornucopia, the company which operates Nature's Bin will continue to empower people with disabilities through job training and placement. Their five training sites will continue to operate to assist people with disabilities develop skills and confidence leading to sustainable employment. Nature's Bin will also continue to offer catering services as well.

“We are heartbroken to have to make this decision but we know it’s the right thing,” Cornucopia executive director Nancy Peppler said in a statement. “Nature’s Bin has provided a nurturing and safe place for people with disabilities to gain meaningful work experience that can lead to permanent jobs in the community. Our vocational training and retail staff have been vital to our mission and we couldn’t have operated this store for 41 years or impacted the lives of thousands of people with disabilities without them.”

“The community’s support over the years through donations to Cornucopia and by shopping at Nature’s Bin is appreciated and has helped to make it possible for people who participated in our training programs to gain valuable tools that prepare them to enter the workforce and lead more productive lives,” Peppler continued. “However, as options for purchasing traditional, natural and organic products have expanded, we have experienced a dramatic decline in sales and we can no longer continue to operate Nature’s Bin.”

According to the Organic Trade Association, the organic products business is one of the biggest trends in the food retail industry and the lion's share of those sales are captured by chains such as Walmart, Trader Joe's, Target and Whole Foods with a small percentage attributed to farmers' markets. This market environment has made it challenging for independent organic retailers like Nature’s Bin to remain competitive. Undoubtedly, the opening of a new Whole Foods store in nearby Rocky River and Earth Fare in Fairview Park did not help matters for Nature's Bin.

“This store has been an important part of our community for decades and it is sad news that it is closing,” said Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers. “It is our hope that the City of Lakewood can work with Cornucopia to make some of the healthy foods that you love from Nature’s Bin available through concessions at Lakewood Park. We have an opportunity as a community to seek ways to support Cornucopia and its mission and I would encourage all of us to do that.”

Cornucopia’s employment services and its other job training programs will continue to operate, including programs at the Cornucopia Vocational Training Center and Catering Kitchen in Lakewood, Eliza Jennings Health Campus in Cleveland, Jennings Center for Older Adults in Garfield Heights, T.J. Maxx in Woodmere, and Darice Wholesale Crafts in Strongsville.

To support Cornucopia as they help prepare people with disabilities for work and transition them into jobs in the community, donations can be made online at www.cornucopia-inc.org/donate or via mail to Cornucopia, 18228 Sloane Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107.

Photo courtesy of Nature's Bin