When most people travel, they visit famous landmarks and take loads of time sightseeing. Well, I have a confession. When I travel, no matter where, I visit grocery stores. Once on a trip to London I went to every chain of every grocery store all over the city. So many trends are created in grocery stores. To me, grocery stores are the hub of action and a perfect way to measure the social fabric of a town.
So, when I got word that the Rockville, MD-based MOM’s Organic Market was coming to Bryn Mawr, I couldn’t wait for opening weekend. It was time for me to start sightseeing in a new grocery store.
For those of you who don’t know, the back story to the development of this amazing market starts at home.
Scott Nash, the founder, started MOM’s at the age of 22 with an initial investment of $100 as a home-delivery business out of his mom’s garage. On July 2, 1987, MOM’s made its first sale delivering to a customer who lived in Rockville, MD. Fast forward to 2014, and Scott Nash’s dream is now a chain of ten, family-owned grocery stores throughout Virginia and Maryland. And now, Pennsylvania.
MOM’s opening weekend at the site of the former Border’s Bookstore in Bryn Mawr was very exciting. There was a certain “buzz” throughout the store. Beautiful produce greeted me as I entered, and kind and attentive team members were there to help as best they could without being overbearing. Prices are very competitive with other specialty grocers and, in most cases, prices at MOM’s are lower.
With aisles so nice and wide, it was a shopper’s dream. Young mothers with double-wide strollers could easily cruise the aisles without creating a traffic jam. The store was very well-lit and had beyond-ample varieties of my favorite food items. A very eco-friendly company with a spirit of giving, MOM’s Organic does not sell bottled water. Imagine all of the plastic bottles saved? They do have a water dispenser and you can “fill your own.” Even their water fountain has filtered water.
But, what had me at hello was their eatery called “Naked Lunch.” It is an organized and tidy kitchen where all food is made to order. Nothing was made at dawn, nor had it been sitting in a cooler all day. The menu was amazing, and all selections were vegetarian. From hearty salads to rich vegetable soups and homemade sandwiches, you will not be hungry. They say to never shop on an empty stomach (because you will buy more, based on hunger) so if you head to MOM’s Organic Market, eat lunch as soon as you arrive, then go shopping.
NOTE: If you are vegan, be sure to ask for an ingredient list, as the foods are vegetarian and not all are vegan (Vegetarian food contains dairy products [milk, cheese, etc.] and vegan food is totally plant-based).
I had a delicious eggplant burger filled with Kalamata olives and topped with a blanket of baby arugula. It was served on a multigrain bun and had that “burger feel” to it, if you get my drift. And because I love kale so much, I had a bowl of butterbean and kale soup. It was hearty and delicious, and not salty. What did I love the best? That everything was organic.
In other stores, shopping for organic produce can often be a challenge. There are issues like co-mingling, organic integrity and cross-contamination. At MOM’s Organic, no worries; everything is organic. It makes it easy to shop, because you know exactly what you are getting. Remember, organic produce has a five-digit ID number that begins with “9.” An example would be bananas. Their ID code is 4011, but an organic banana is coded as 94011. I always say that “nine is fine.”
Go to MOM’s Organic Market. Grab a bite to eat. Then, go shopping. You can sightsee and dine in the same place!
Find Mom’s Organic Market at 1149 E Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr. More info available online here.
