Natural Food Patch

Best prices on natural /​essential oils, soaps, and a lot of organic /​better quality foods.
Really love this place. Nice staff.
Old fashioned feel.

I love the store. The people are helpful and the selection is item is good for the average consumer. Where could this store improve: the store is tight. If you are a size 14 woman, you will have a hard time navigating around the narrow aisles and the tight corners. It pays to be small to navigate this place. I love that the store is local and located in downtown Funky Ferndale, but I hope the owners are looking to expand because this store is just too small for what they offer. They might want to either streamline their offerings or move to a bigger location. One thing I despise about the area is that now that Funky Ferndale is «happening», finding a parking space during peak times (e.g. 7 PM on a Friday) can be challenging. Also, this store does not carry a wide selection of things. If you need something right away, but you don’t care about the brand, this is your place. If you want a specific brand and size, this might not be the place for you — you might have to shop online. The store layout is kind of weird. Nothing against ADHD folks but just by looking at the layout of the store, I would think that the owners might have a touch of it. I sometimes feel like I am in a maze of sorts. Also, I would like to see registers that scan (that might speed up the lines).
Overall, I like the store, but I just find the work of shopping there a bit too much sometimes.

I am ever so grateful for this health food store. They are truly the only health food store that hasn’t gone bananas and carries only the good health food products that are totally for natural health food people. It is an amazing experience that I tell everyone about. The staff is super and very knowledgeable and always friendly and kind. I get such an all over good feeling every time I get spend time in the store. I can’t get the things I need for my healthy life style anywhere else, but am confident that I will always be able to go to the Natural Food Patch and not be disappointed, because they remain the same reliable health food store that pleases. I am hoping that they will continue to stay consistent and stick to what are truly healthy products. Kudos!

There are some things that Natch Patch does that are top notch, there are other areas that are really disappointing.
Their natural beauty products section is amazing. I could spend over an hour just looking at their soap selection if I wanted. I get all of my shampoo, and skin products here. It is the only place a have been able to consistently find Mayumi Squalane which is a Japanese oil that I use as a facial moisturizer. The price is great too, it is cheaper here than what I see it listed for online most often.
If you are looking for holistic medicine, they have a great selection. When I have asked a floor person for advice on what to buy, I have gotten very well informed answers. I don’t necessarily use holistic medicine exclusively, so sometimes I don’t know what to buy and I’ve gotten some stellar recommendations for products for cramps, colds, etc.
Here’s the thing though, staff for the most part isn’t that friendly. Bob, one of the floor guys is always a pleasure to deal with, however people at the counter always seem to just be punching the clock, and biding their time checking you out, and swiping your card. This is fine, I guess. But, I really mean it just like that; fine, I guess.
I get the feeling that while this is a local business aimed at providing wares for the crunchy «all one» crowd, perhaps their business philosophy doesn’t reflect this. Some employees have been there for what seems like forever, but I’ve noticed them melting away over time. People want to feel appreciated, and this makes them feel more connected to their work. I have a feeling this is lacking on the back end, given conversations that I’ve had with past and present employees, as well as what I’ve seen as a regular customer. Seems like a total shame to me. Lots of potential for this in a small business in a community like Ferndale.
Not saying it has ever stopped me from going there, because I really enjoy what they have to offer, but it’s always in the back of my head. I’m sure they do a decent job of offering fare, and livable wages while staying true to their bottom line. Its just that some things are about more than your monetary compensation.

This is my favorite local health food store. The staff is SUPER knowledgeable, and they’ve always had everything I came for and more. The only thing is, it can get VERY crowded, and there isn’t much of a system for getting help other than following around the floor staff. Once you get them, they’re great, and give you personal attention for sure, but on busy days, they could use one more floor person, I think. They have a vast array of vitamins, supplements, shakes, probiotics, and frozen foods. When I am following a vegan/​vegetarian diet, this place is a must for convenience foods.

I enjoy the inventory here and support as many health food stores as possible, but that’s about it. It’s always cluttered, chaotic, messy, and stressful. I avoid going here as much as possible. I really wish they would get it together because they do have a nice selection but it’s just an unpleasant experience every time. Sigh.

Ill start with the good things. It has a lot of organic items, hard to find items such as real salt and gallons of apple cider vinegar. They have a greater selection of natural and organic food and body care items than other area grocery stores. They also carry local Michigan made products such as ferments from The Brinery.
The bad, they could have other things that I have never seen because it is near impossible to traverse this store. If two people have carts in an aisle they cant get by each other, someone has to back out of the isle in order to let the other pass. Or, you can be the person trapped in the middle of the aisle by two clueless people on either end. The shopping experience is so bad that I now buy 5 of everything that I need in order to cut down on the frequency of times I need to come here.
The Vitamin and Oil section are massive, it takes up a good portion of the store. It is not my thing but might be worth it for someone interested in that.
If I could actually browse around the store I would probably buy more things here, instead I just stock up on things I am unable to find anywhere else.

Lowering rating by 1 star because they seemed to have raised their prices drastically. They were always the cheapest in almost all products but now they are more expensive than most places! Bummer cause this was my #1 favorite place to shop. Such a good selection

I come to this place whenever I’m in ferndale. I absolutely love it. Discovered some great healthy snacks, lotions and teas here! I’ve never had an issue with costumer service. I always go in there when its crowded and find myself bumping into people, but that doesn’t bug me. The prices are pretty decent here. This place deserves better ratings!

Customer service is HORRIBLE. The store is always in complete disarray. No one ever asks if you need help. I despise shopping here.

I love this place. There are so many great products to choose from, and the prices are reasonable. It’s a bit hard to maneuver a cart but so worth the trouble. The staff is very friendly and helpful.

I love this store cuz they carry everything. They can order most things if they don’t. And the floor staff are super knowledgable! Additionally, their prices are great. Even compared to buying products online at «discount» prices. To further sweeten the deal, if you spend $ 40 you can collect a punch stamp and once you have 10, you earn $ 40 free products. That’s 10% discount, which may not sound great but if you’re going to spend $ 40 on the same products you can buy elsewhere, why not earn a stamp?! And their prices are not higher than other shops. Ie: the same brand of ezekiel bread cost $ 4/​loaf at natural food path and cost $ 4.49 at meijer and trader joes.
Down side is the aisles are extremely narrow and you’re constantly interrupted to move while browsing.

If you like your food like you like your hippies… Smelly like Kimchi and locally sourced. NFP is for you!
Ever helpful staff, a wide variety of goods, what more could you ask of a local grab n go.

Not much to say that the other reviews haven’t covered. The main problem is the small aisles — I was in here in the middle of the day on a Monday thinking It’d be a good time to not be crowded — FALSE. It was slammed. I got a few essential groceries for a decent price though. Nothing was super marked up price wise like I expected considering its a smaller business. I’ll definitely be back and am very glad its in the neighborhood but it is not a leisurely stroll through the store type place its a «pardon me, oops scuse me, hey i’m just gonna squeeze by ya, sorry!» stressful shopping type place. It’s still pretty adorable there though.

NFP is fine by me. I’m not really into supplements or vitamins and I don’t prefer their grains or produce, so I only really come here for the giant tub of Earth Balance spread, Oskri Dark Chocolate Coconut bars, and Snap Pea Crisps. Fortunately, that isn’t very often because I get pretty impatient waiting in their usually slow check out lines and dealing with the horrible store layout.
I will say that I would not consider the patrons «stinky ghetto herbalists» like one reviewer (side note: when did being mean and maybe racist become so cool? oh wait, that was 5^th grade.) I’ve only encountered a diverse and friendly crowd.

Unlike Western Market up the street, which also sells a variety of organic, holistic, and natural products, Natural Food Patch feels like an exclusive health food store for the brand of vegan who secretly sneers at anyone who puts milk in their tea or doesn’t mind if the chicken isn’t free range. I got that impression on a few visits when I was searching for various items.
They carry a vast quantity of vitamins, as it’s a staple of their business, including those supplements rarely found in mainstream stores. If you need gurana or powdered cowslips in a gluten-​free, soluble form, Natural Food Patch is probably your store. You are going to pay for the variety of unusual options though. I’m surprised by some of the markups on simple things, like essential minerals and vitamins (I’m talking B-​12, not rarefied selenium or milk of magnesia). Definitely price shop for an expectation of what these things cost to make sure you’re paying what you want.
However, for those with allergies, food restrictions, and dietary choices, this store is probably a godsend. As the only thing I seem to be allergic to is one of my three cats, I don’t rely on wheat– or peanut-​free products nearly so much. My results are mixed.
The interior space is maximized to the point of being a Ferndale souk or bazaar, with narrow, crooked aisles, little room to maneuver, and inability for most people to complete a full turn without the threat of knocking into something. Locating objects on the heavy laden shelves can be a bit tricky. I always feel like I need to be extremely careful to avoid dropping or breaking something; with my luck, it’d be very expensive glass bottle of vitamins.
As noted by a good many Unilocalers, the produce looks terrible. They could do much better, and I am habitually surprised by how roughed up, bruised, and past-​due many of the veggies and fruits look. Run up the street to Western Market for the same price and infinitely better quality, as well as on-​site parking.
Parking is at a strict premium, limited largely to the street or the connector Breckenridge lot behind the Rust Belt Market. Access from the rear is pretty easy, but not so much fun if you have five to ten bags to carry.

I’m a big proponent of shopping local so it bugs me that I’ve only been here a few times. I think this is most likely due to:
1. Their early weekly closing time of 7pm.
2. The sudden bouts of claustrophobia I succumb to while trying to traverse their sardine-​can aisle setup, and sometimes the people I inadvertently bump into are kind of rude (contrary to most, I find the Patch’s service okay, but some of the patrons can be a bit… ungracious).
I wouldn’t buy fresh produce here, as it always seems to look somewhat tattered. They have a large-​ish selection of natural health/​beauty products, as well as vitamins and supplements. The ‘bulk’ items here actually come pre-​packaged, which is a drag if you only need a small amount.
UPDATE: ok, they do sell coffee. It’s pre-​packaged, and the kind that comes in 1lb bags comes from a local Traverse City roaster. :)
Ferny IS lucky to have a place like this in its environs. Now if only I could somehow prognosticate when the Patch would be crowd-​bare…

Love the products, hate the service.
They are not nice here. Very apathetic, unhelpful and unfriendly. I only go here when I need something I can’t get at the health food store across the street. I’ve been in multiple times and it is always the same attitude.
Maybe you need to be a super vegan hipster to get a smile or a nicer attitude. Maybe they can smell the meat through my pores.
If they were nicer I would come here all the time.

NFP (or Natch Patch, as I like to call it) is the closest thing we have to a food co-​op in Detroit. You can’t do all your shopping here (produce section is pretty weak) but if you buy your veggies from the farmers’ market, this is a good place to get most everything else. The prices are the cheapest around for all your hippie essentials (kombucha, non-​dairy items, nutritional yeast, tea…) and they have a decent selection of bulk items. Ask about the Carrot Club Card, where you get a $ 40 gift certificate after filling up your punch card.
Others have complained about the customer service, but I have never gotten anything but good attitudes and smiles. That said, I only come here when I have a weekday off of work; the aisles are very narrow and the store is tiny so during peak shopping hours it tends to be a madhouse. I can see how every route through the store being jammed up with shopping carts could grate on a hurried customer or employee’s nerves.

The store and prices are great — the customer service is horrible :-/
This is my third experience with J. J — Who I believe is the owner. I’m not sure why he’s so rude and bitter?
Here is what I experienced:
1) I returned and a frozen item I bought the day before and he said it couldn’t be returned. I mentioned it’s not noted on the return policy — he says it’s posted all over the store. But me and my husband looked and it’s not. No where does it say frozen items can’t be returned:-(
2) He charged me the higher price for dual marked vitamins. I choose not to say anything since I really wanted to support this local store.
3) A cashier placed money on the counter instead of in my mothers hand.
I’m not sure what’s with the owner J. J or his past experiences, as well as some of the cashiers but this place needs to treat everyone with respect no matter what bad experiences they’ve had in the past.
They also need to understand there are good people trying to support this local place and want it to thrive :-(
Unfortunately this has soured my experience and I JUST started coming here and is very new. I’d rather pay more money somewhere else or even online.
To be treated this way at a health food store promoting good eating and animal rights is really sad :-(.
So I’m off to Nutri-​Foods in downtown Royal Oak, then Wholefoods, or Trader Joe’s.