Healthier options are starting to leave a mark on Dallas. Juicing, the paleo diet and going gluten-free have become thriving trends. Green Grocer, a local and organic grocery store located on lower Greenville Avenue, fully endorses this healthy movement by educating people about the benefits of

nutritious eating.

“If you take care of yourself, you can take care of others,” said Green Grocer employee Melanie Knott.

Like most employees at Green Grocer, Knott follows a clean and organic diet. She has also transformed her family’s eating habits by providing information on meat-free and dairy-free alternatives for dinner.

Eating clean and organic is more than a diet, but rather a lifestyle, and a lifestyle that has helped Knott feel her best. Suffering from a yeast allergy, Knott changed up her diet to incorporate more fresh produce and she now pays close attention to food labels, changes that have significantly diminished her symptoms.

When applying for a job in January, Green Grocer really caught Knott’s eye.

“I really admired the owners’ work ethic and I loved the people. Green Grocer has a lot to offer. It has a unique flair. People want to come here,” Knott said.

Although Trader Joe’s and Sprouts are located nearby, Green Grocer feels no sense of competition. The prices are comparable, but customers are attracted to Green Grocer for its specialty items, organic produce, and its welcoming atmosphere.

Monthly, the store hosts specialty events like classes on juice cleansing and First Tuesdays, where on the first Tuesday of every month customers can meet vendors, sample snacks, and meet people from their neighborhood.

Green Grocer is 100 percent organic.

“Not many grocery stores can say that,” said owner Gary Stephens.

Green Grocer also tries to sell local produce whenever possible. Stephens visits local vendors and selects only the best produce for his store, truly bringing farm fresh quality to customers.

Green Grocer unites customers that have a love of healthy eating. Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily, “Happy Hour” perks up Grocer customers with half- priced juices.

Owners, Gary Stephens and wife Cassie, recall their first thoughts about opening up a grocery store while living in Chicago in 2008.

“There was no place walking distance to get groceries. Not even a nice place to get ice cream,” Gary Stephens said.

The flagship store in Chicago grew slowly as the pair hired employees and developed contacts.

After success in Chicago, they decided to expand and opened up the Dallas store in January 2013.

The Dallas store is much larger than the Chicago store, due to the growing market for healthier options in Dallas. The aisles are also larger to make the store more family friendly.

Among the dingy and dilapidated buildings on lower Greenville Avenue, Green Grocer stands out in crisp white paint and lime green letters.

The aroma of fresh pressed apple juice floats in the air, as one is greeted by a rainbow of organic produce. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable. Happy Hour is for cleansing, rather than detoxifying and prices are not marked up.

The Dallas store has really taken off in this developing era of healthy living as a true gem on Greenville.