When family-owned US organic food retailer MOM’s Organic Market recently revamped its Alexandria (Virginia) store it added a whole new category into the store mix – beekeeping tools and paraphernalia.
At first sight unusual, the Alexandria’s store’s new ‘Backyard Bees’ feature fits perfectly with MOM’s mission-based ethos. With an overarching business purpose ‘To Protect and Restore The Environment’ the 17-store strong chain has a long history of supporting ecological causes, local and global. The retailer already has beekeeping tools and equipment in six of its other stores and the Alexandria store has had active bee hives on its roof.
MOM’s founder, Scott Nash, told Washington radio station WTOP: “It is a new initiative of ours this year to put beekeeping sections in stores where we can. We’re putting them in our stores to bring attention to backyard beekeeping and to show that anyone can do it.”
“We’re putting them in our stores to bring attention to backyard beekeeping and to show that anyone can do it”
Nash, a beekeeper himself, also hopes the new fixtures will raise awareness locally about the vital role of bees as pollinators and the threat they face from pesticides
MOM’s celebrated the reopening of its Alexandria store plans with a series of special events, including live music, tastings, henna art and free samples.
The expanded store also includes MOM’s Naked Lunch counter, found in several other MOM’s locations, that serves organic and vegetarian food and a rotating growler station with limited-batch, seasonal beers.