Healthy Home Market

The closest comparison is that it is like a mini non-​corporate Earth fare. It had more locally sourced foods. I enjoyed seeing the unique items produced in Charlotte. Due to this, I think it is worth the trip even though the overall selection is a bit more narrow. Check out was swift too.

This place is awesome. A wide variety of grains, fruit, veggie based, gluten free, organic, healthy food. If you have a strict diet for any reason this store is your saving grace.

This place has improved so much. The people are way friendlier. They are nice and easy to talk to. Not rude at all. They are store is clean. The vegetables look fresher. I will start going to this store again.

I’m a fan because they have food grade Hydrogen Peroxide and no one else in Charlotte does (*that I have found)!

This is a wonderful store! I always find new & interesting things & I love the bulk foods! Everyone here is as helpful as they are at the South Blvd. location.
The wines were very expensive, so I probably will stick with my non-​organic selections elsewhere, but really — this is a great store!

I don’t live in this neighborhood but did have a client in the area that given the lack of healthy places to eat lunch I took refuge here. Upon my first visit I was saddened to find this location does not have a deli like the South Blvd location. However, it’s still Healthy Home Market so there’s lots of delicious options.
The produce is great for snacks & side items to your lunch. There’s tons of drinks options so while maybe a gallon of milk is too much for the afternoon, there’s bottles of juices to choose instead. Nuts of all varieties make a good 2:30pm feeling choice.
The main reason I’m writing a review is the number of single serve frozen food choices, because when you’re stuck with a typical office kitchen the ability to cook is limited. There could be more, it’s not as stocked as the Harris Teeter at 5^th & Popular, but there are vegetarian, vegan and meals with meat so you could easily go through a eating lunch out of this grocery store ever day for a week.
Of course the people are really friendly too, so when faced with that I’ve-never-been-to-this-store-and-I-have-no-idea-where-anything-is feeling they’re happy to show where to find what you need.

I love, love, love the bulk bins. Those, plus some hard to find items make me shop here at least one or two times a month even though the service is horrible.
If you ask someone stocking shelves where an item is they act like it’s a huge interruption to their day. If you expect a cashier to ring up your order it’s a huge interruption to their day. They announce umpteen times that «the store will be closing in 30 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes…»
But, they know they have me suckered for their bulk bins and can continue to treat customers poorly. Imagine how well they could do if they didn’t have such a piss poor attitude towards customer service.

I looked for a long time to find a good bulk foods section at a grocery store in Charlotte and finally found this place. The location is fairly small and the store places a lot of emphasis on supplements and such, which I don’t always believe in or care about, but it is worth going there for their bulk herbs, spices, grains and teas.

I LOVE both locations of Home Economist (I refuse to accept the new name). Especially on the east side where the selection of anything better than garbage is slim to none. The prices may be a bit much for some, but most of the people that shop here-​in my opinion-​seem to be savvy enough to work it out and get what they need without breaking the bank.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t exclusively shop here, I’m not ballin like that, but it’s a great place to go get bulk items, especially for real cooks/​bakers & the selection of all natural soaps etc. makes me smile. Hell, they even sell candy!
Check them out, but make sure you map your exit properly because unless you leave out the back way onto Idlewild, it’s going to be hell to get back on 74W during most times of the day (less busting a U down by Conference)

Offers the same great items the one on South Blvd does the only downside to this location is the lack of deli and smoothie/​juice stand.

I actually wondered for a while what was up with this store — I mean really, what is a Home Economist? Do you get your own personal Alan Greenspan? And yes, I have been a resident of Charlotte long enough to remember that was the name of the place before they changed it.
Really I cannot say if Healthy Home Market is all that much better name-​wise, but at least you do not expect some stiff coming over to invade your place.
The store itself is not much to look at. Or be inside. And the parking lot is only decent if you compare it to the one outside the Asian Corners. As has been mentioned many times, the South Boulevard version is vastly superior in just about every respect, yet the new location near the Matthews Wal-​Mart is strangely modeled after this store, being on the small side. So obviously they think there is something for it.
As to the inside, it is actually a cool little space. It is strangely reminiscent of a grocery you might find in the downtown of a large city, with stuff crammed everywhere — though the product is decidedly funky, and you can get all sorts of things you might not find at most places. Many spices available by the ounce/​pound/​whatever weight you choose, and oils and honeys as well.
I would also echo that they are excruciatingly slow, but it is definitely worth a peek if you want something out of the ordinary.

As the other reviwers have commented, this store is a lot older and dingy-​er than the South Blvd. store… and echoing Cathy, I wouldn’t want to shop here at night. Still, it’s nice to have this store as an option. Also, I have found some really good stuff on sale at this location.
In addition to the vast vitamin/​supplement selection, I like their vast selection of bulk spices, pet food items, and health & beauty items. This store has a pretty decent wine selection as well.
It would be nice if HHM would open a store somewhere out on the I-​485 perimeter between Pineville & Matthews. I believe that this area can support several more healthy stores. Even though consolidation through mergers & acquisitions is the name of the game in corporate America these days, competition is certainly good for the consumer!

I swung by this HHM as it’s closer to my house than the South End location. It is much smaller and in kind of a strange spot for what they are selling, but you can’t beat convenience.
I am a fan of HHM overall as the stores sell healthy food at a somewhat reasonable price. Not sure I’d purchase perishables here as I wasn’t getting a really clean vibe, but it was fine for the tomato paste and dog food/​treats that I went in to buy. The cashier was honestly very slow; I ended up waiting way too long as the woman in front of me had a total of six items (although she did write a check — maybe the cashier was in shock at seeing such an antiquated payment method and thus the holdup? Who knows.)
Ultimately, if going for a ton of items, I’d recommend hitting up the location on South. If running in for a quick ingredient or two, the Independence location was fine. Although I wouldn’t go after dark.

«The little hippie food market that could» seems so out of place in the «corridor of crap» that is Independence Boulevard, but I gotta tell ‘ya this store is amazing for just about any special dietary need.
The star of this market is the aisle-​long bulk foods section that puts anything at our other local grocery stores to shame. Whether you need dried fruits, spices, or nuts or grains (even candies), I’m pretty sure they have it here, and also have it as an organic option. You get as much as you need and then write the code on the side of the bag to be weighed at the checkout.
They also have just about every homeopathic remedy you could need too. Again, you can get herbs by bulk or just about any nutrient/​supplement your heart desires. Big selection of incense and candles too.
If you have gluten allergies, this ought to be your go-​to, they have a bigger selection than I have seen just about anywhere else. Also, vegetarian/​vegan friends will find a healthy supply and selection of different options here too. They have a fresh produce section that is small, but can do in a pinch– same goes for fresh meats and frozen foods. I’d still look elsewhere for regular shopping for these items, however.
I have to deduct a start here because the store does get a little crowded-​feeling and just has the appearance of being somewhat rundown (like most of its neighboring businesses) which is far below the standard at any of the other speciality grocers in town. Still, the store is never loaded with people and the staff is most helpful if approached. I still don’t know why they put this store where it is, but I’m not going to complain because I’m glad it’s there.

By no means as large as their South Blvd counterpart, this Healthy Home Market (they’ve recently rebranded) is similar in price, smaller in selection, but just as clean and staffed by good peeps.
I come here for the dry goods and herbs — there are a LOT to choose from and most things are reasonably priced. Various salts, flours, mixes (falafel and chili, etc), nuts and grains, candy, legumes. I sometimes have a problem with rice being a little stale, so give your goods a good sniff before purchasing. Pink salt and artisianal items can be gotten in small amounts, so this is a great place to shop if you’re into experimental cooking.
Produce is always good — but the selection is very seasonal (as it should be) and not cheap. Frozen foods are in the Earth Fare price range, as are the gluten-​free and other specialty pantry staples. Vitamin selection is huge, and they do refillable Bronner’s soap, if that’s your bag.
Prices could be more competitive, but I’m glad they’re around.

I was looking for this place after finding out that Charlotte did not have a Whole Foods (a real cool health food store chain that I shopped weekly while living in DC– but I hear there is one coming here in the future). When I found it, I was shocked to see how small it was in comparison to what I was used to, but it’s inventory was good enough to serve most of my needs. I appreciate the MOM and POP feel of it, and when Whole Foods comes to town, I would probably still come here for my bulk rice, grains, seeds and seasonings as I believe their prices are fair and their presentation is less pretentious than major chains. The staff is always willing to help and I learn helpful things from the other shoppers as I stroll the isles. I like the free lectures they give to educate the community. And I like their book and magazine selection. I am used to a prettier broader selection of products to choose from, but I am glad to have a place that offers my basics and foods that are local to NC is another plus.

Charlotte needs more stores like the Home Economist! It’s a little pricey, but overall, they are a great source for all your hippy food. They have a great selection of bulk items, and it just feels good to go somewhere that isn’t huge and ickily corporate.
Home Economist also tries to contribute to Charlotte’s culture of wellness by offering seminars, which are often free. They include food sellers, often local, and holistic health care providers in the area, and the best part is the free samples!
I was vegan before I moved to Charlotte, and once I found the Home Economist, I realized I could go back. I haven’t made the leap yet, but it’s good to know this place is there.

It was a real surprise for me when I found this place so close to home. I loved that they had such a huge selection of loose teas, herbs and vitamin supplements in bulk. I was also ecstatic to find that they carried my favorite brand of ginger ale that I haven’t been able to find anywhere.
But the topper on all of this is the fact that the people here are so helpful. If you have a question about which herbs and supplements are good for what, they can tell you. If you don’t know how to cook something, they have tips for you. It’s just an all around good place.

2.5 stars– It may seem that I don’t appreciate the fact that there is a natural food store near my neighborhood, but I really really do. There are some positives to Home Economist on Independence: there’s a water refill station, they have a great bulk section and a fairly good supplement section. There’s almost always somekind of sale on vitamins and herbal supplements (Wellness Formula rocks!). They have wine and beer. They have pet food– our dog loves the chicken strips! They have sprouting supplies, books and neti pots.
The rub is that the water station is highly unreliable even though they replaced the station fairly recently. Some employess are friendly and helpful and some are seemingly locked into a perpetual bad day. Their counters are cumbersome and don’t allow much space to accomodate your groceries. My husband was so shocked at the high cost of bread at this store he walked out without anything at all– this I never thought I’d see from him. But after I looked at the price I was really glad he did walk away. The doors must be manually opened and, with cart, that can be difficult. If Trader Joe’s had a bulk section and water refill station I would have one grocery shopping destination per week. The South Blvd location (Home Economist) has shown me slightly better results.
1÷10÷08: I just rec’d my Aquasana waterfilter and all of a sudden find myself less and less reliant on Home Economist.

It has been tough for my girlfriend and I to find markets in Charlotte that specialize in organic and whole foods that aren’t prohibitively expensive. The Home Economist does just that. They have a good selection of organic and whole foods that don’t break the bank, but the real draw is their selection of bulk foods. Everything from grains and cereal to coffee and spices, without the cost/​waste of packaging and advertising.
They don’t have a lot of space, which kind of limits their overall selection, but they do have local produce and organic wines (I like «jest red»). If you like Trader Joe’s check out Home Economist, and don’t let the sketchy strip mall location put you off, the low rent helps keep the overhead down.