New Yokel Market

PROS:
— this place has a super earthy vibe, not pretentious at all.
— The workers are knowledgable about the products (even back stories)!
— they value your suggestions. If there’s something you want that they don’t carry, they’ll try and get it the next week
— they sell local farm milk in a ½ gallon glass bottles! You pay a deposit of $ 4.00 (which you’ll get back) and pay the flat milk fee every time you return your old glass. I haven’t seen a store that offers this since college and I AM OBSESSED. I am not a fan of buying milk in cartons and plastic.
— they carry produce that I can’t find at other grocery stores, like bok choy.
— Bulk. Bulk. Bulk. What can I say? I love any grocery store that offers bulk grains, nuts, seeds, beans, etc. I get massive amounts of lentils, almonds, steel-​cut oats every time I go. I love pouring out just what I need.
— Make your own peanut butter there. Enough said.
— You can buy bulk coffee beans or grind it there!
— They take your plastic shopping bag donations and reuse them for customers. They’ve never had to buy plastic bags.
— if you spend over $ 70 there, you can receive 7% off your entire total if you pay with cash or check!
CONS:
— the prices range from «wow that’s pretty reasonable» to «holy outrageousness!» Organic avocados are $ 1.20/each which is not bad. The almonds are $ 15.50/lb which is unreal. I probably spent twice as much I would have shopping elsewhere…
Lots of people think this place closed down permanently, but it is still open. It just moved to the space behind their previous location (now Grateful Soul). Their café is re-​opening next week. I’m excited to try the soup and salad bar! Hopefully it isn’t too expensive.

Uh. I had high hopes for this when I knew I was moving to Hattiesburg, but those hopes have been somewhat dashed. It’s tiny and stocks very little. I wandered in and came out with a bag of flax seed, very expensive spelt pasta, and some 85% dark chocolate. They do have Greek yogurt and tofu, which I will come back for. A little café or something would help here… I’m giving it four stars though because it’s the ONLY place like this in HBurg.

wow. notice how there are two «filtered» reviews?
Like one reviewer said, this place had alot of potential. Before New Yokel, Hattiesburg didn’t have an organic health foods store.
As a hardcore vegan, I’m all too familiar with the phrase «My organic food isn’t expensive, your conventional food is just cheap!» But New Yokel REALLY takes advantage of this on a whole new level.
I special ordered a box of some coconut water here, when i could have easily ordered it online myself. But i wanted to help my local store. It was about $ 50 more at New Yokel than what it would have cost me if i purchased the same thing from the retailer (retail price… duh). The next day I phoned the manager, and he was incredibly rude and condescending, but agreed to refund my purchase. But i felt so disrespected, I decided to keep my golden coconut water, and never give this place business again. The next day I received an email from this guy about the «unsustainability of the brand of coconut water in which i prefer». (BTW, I’m a vegan for environmental reasons, and I’m very self-​aware and conscious of the carbon impact i put into the atmosphere).
I discussed this with my boyfriend, and he mentioned that his finance professor was complaining about the owner of this place, calling him «a crack-​pot» in class because the grocery owner was lecturing the finance professor about the inhumane practices of the bank in which he was using to purchase his groceries! …face-​palm…
The organic fruit i’ve seen here looks rotted, at least whenever I’ve paid my few visits.
Coconut water isn’t the only thing that is overpriced at this store.
PLUS!!! The corner market in Belevue on 98 (past anatomies), has everything this store carries, in a much more organized way and MUCH more reasonably priced.
(just to add to my own credibility, browse my former reviews. i usually get on Unilocal to say nice things!)

This place has all of the odd health food ingredients and products that are hard to find. Anytime I am in town I like to stop by and pick up a few interesting items. They also have some great avocado and tempeh sandwiches you can take away for lunch. They have a yummy and rare lemongrass soda we get with our sandwiches. Treat your body good and visit New Yokel.

This place is your organic/​vegetarian haven for a small college and retirement town like Hattiesburg.
Stevia is one of the sweeteners on the condiment bar, and their tea is never ordinary black leaf.
Try their tempeh version of a ruben, one of my personal favorites.

5 stars is for the smoothie I had — good pure and smooth. No artificially weirdness. Fruit fruit fruit.
Otherwise, a very nice artsy little organic foods mart/​lunch stop place, with local art on the walls and friendly hippie-​ish dudes behind the counter. Nice.