The Water Bug Health Food Store Ltd.
Water Bug Health Food StoreAdmittedly, running a health food store was not Natalie Holmes' original plan, but there is no denying it has become her passion. Natalie’s mother, Inge Englehart, and her partner Eldon Tomlinson were interested in opening a business, and in 1992 The Water Bug Health Food Store came to be. Sadly, Inge passed away in 1995. Some time after Inge’s passing, Eldon decided to sell The Water Bug. “It was an instant decision for me and my long-time friend Germaine Bettridge to take over the store from Eldon, and we’ve been running the store ever since,” shares Natalie. Prior to taking over, Natalie and Germaine had worked at The Water Bug part-time, along with Natalie’s sister and brother-in-law.
Getting up to speed in a new industry took a lot of time and effort, but Natalie says it has been worth it. “The companies we deal with offer learning modules, courses, and training sessions for us to learn about the products,” Natalie says. “There is also a program that the staff is required to take. It helps create a foundation of education and learning.” When the staff is finished with their training, they receive a certificate in Natural Health Fundamentals. That said, staffers at The Water Bug are careful about dispensing information to customers. “Legally, we cannot prescribe to customers. We can talk about how to maintain a healthy body but if they have a medical condition they are looking for treatment for, we often will try and direct them to a Naturopath or someone who can properly assess and treat them.”
The Water Bug has been in its current location since 1994 and has continued to grow as an operation. “We have implemented new technologies so that we can operate more efficiently,” Germaine says. “This past year has definitely been the most challenging because of COVID but nothing beats the amazing group of people that work here at The Bug. We are so fortunate to have an incredible team working with us every day. It makes the job so much more fulfilling. We had to change every aspect of how we do business, but the changes were for the better. We've got accustomed to making quick changes on the fly.” Another thing that has changed is how delicious healthy food has become. “I know many years ago a lot of so-called health foods didn’t taste very good,” Natalie says. “But the industry has come a long way. We try and sample all the things we bring into the store to make sure they taste good. I remember my mom would bring me things from the store many years ago and I was like, ‘Do I have to eat this?’ Now the food is so tasty.”
The Water Bug promotes itself as a community meeting place. “People end up bumping into friends and family while shopping and it's nice to see,” Natalie says. “A friendly comfortable atmosphere is really important to us. It's hard to believe it's been 29 years and The Bug is still working and growing to serve our community."
Related Stories
Kaffeïne Sarnia
Younan Nanno didn't know much about the world of coffee. He just knew that he loved to drink it and he wanted to work for himself. That was his motivation to purchase his own coffee shop, Kaffeine Sarnia. "I had absolutely no experience in the coffee world," Younan says. "My only work experi
Reno Fine Clothing for Men
Reno Cacace moved from Italy to Sarnia. In 1983, he began working as a master tailor at Scotts, a downtown men's and women's clothier. Reno Fine Clothing for Men was originally opened in Scotts' building when they closed; Mr. Caca...
On the Dot
For Paul and Molly Hartman, it's all about the personal touch. Owners and operators of Sarnia-based On The Dot, a pickup and delivery service, the Hartmans believe their personal interaction with clients gives them a leg up on their competition. I think what is special about us is when you call
Davy Jones Quality Meats
Davy Jones Quality Meats, located at 1030 Confederation Street, opened its doors in 1994. Five years later, 16-year-old Kyle Deloof dropped his resume off to Jones. Davy said he would give me a call when he had hours to give me. I called him every week for the next four weeks. Finally, he said,
Related Stories
Suds Shop Sarnia
It is often said mother is the necessity of invention. That was never truer than a few years ago when Natasha St. Louis decided to go head-to-head with her daughter's skin issues. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, my daughter's hands started to breakdown because of how much handwashing she
Express Employment Professionals
Bruce Hein entered the employment business in 2000 when he purchased Best Personnel. Since 2006 he has operated as part of Express Employment Professionals, the largest franchised staffing firm in North America. His mission is simple: to connect good workers with good jobs. The worst thing we can
S&R Seniors Living
The idea of constructing a small apartment building came to Don Steeves and John Rozema over the course of lunch-time conversations; the pair worked together in Chemical Valley. Both were interested in the idea of building in Sarnia-Lambton. In 1963, they built, rented, and then sold Northgate Apart
Sierra Rei Hart Photography
When Sierra Hart found herself in a bind after an injury in her life long trade she needed to find herself a new career in a hurry. "I was a bartender at the same Irish Pub for 20 years. It was all I knew until that point. I was good at it and I loved it," Sierra explains. "This time around though..."
