Organic grocery store Natural Grocers opens in North Las Vegas, Henderson

The organic grocery chain Natural Grocers opened stores Tuesday in North Las Vegas and Henderson.

The Lakewood, Colorado-based grocer brings a total of 56 new jobs to the Valley.

On Tuesday morning, more than 50 people were waiting in line to enter the North Las Vegas location located at the former site of Fresh & Easy.

Ofelia Hinds-Marshall, 64, a registered nurse, said she got permission to go into work late so that she could be at the store’s 8 a.m. opening.

Hinds-Marshall said she had driven to Los Angeles farmer’s markets on several occasions to find affordable organic foods.

Inside the store Tuesday, Hinds-Marshall held up a red Gala apple and smiled approvingly.

“This is the real deal,” she said.

Evonne Kessler, 61, was familiar with the brand from when she lived in Colorado and said she was glad the North Las Vegas area had more organic food options.

“Whole Foods needs some competition,” said Kessler, who has shopped at the Whole Foods location off Lake Mead Boulevard and North Tenaya Way in the past.

Natural Grocers sells USDA-certified organic produce and a mix of national brands and locally produced products in a neighborhood market setting. The stores also sell meat from animals raised without antibiotics and dairy products that come from confinement-free dairies.

The stores also have nutritional health coaches that offer free nutrition education classes.

The North Las Vegas location is located at 6305 Simmons St. off West Centennial Parkway and Simmons Street. The Henderson location sits at 1660 W. Sunset Road off North Arroyo Grande Boulevard and West Sunset Road.

Adam Malan, director at Logic Commercial Real Estate said the locations of the stores match up with the company’s emphasis on community events and education.

“Both are a little more tucked in to the community itself,” said Malan.

Malan, who is also a board member with the commercial construction trade group NAIOP Southern Nevada said the company will need to “build a following and build goodwill by offering that experience.”

Both stores are about 14,000 square feet.

In 2014, the brand made its Nevada debut with a Reno location.

Nationwide, the company has more than 3,000 employees and 122 stores in 19 states.

Contact Alexander S. Corey at acorey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0270. Find @acoreynews on Twitter.