Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: Campus News

Media Credit: Emily Hartwig Senior Rachel Loomis purchases a new flavor of Naked antioxidant juice, Berry Blast, from Gerri Kolve in the new organic food store in Davies Center. Loomis said she loves the healthier options the shop offers.

Media Credit: Emily Hartwig Some of the new organic offerings in the Corner Store in Davies Center are pretzels, pop corn and rice chips.

From soda to vanilla soy milk; from hot dogs to fresh natural oranges, pears and tomatoes; the Corner Store in Davies Center has gone all organic and natural.

"The kids asked for it," said Gerri Kolve, a worker at the Corner Store. She has worked there for more than a year now and has seen the major change the store has gone through. She said students now have more choices when it comes to food.

Students are exploring the different kinds of food the Corner Store has to offer. According to a university press release, the Corner Store re-opened Sept. 3, as UW-Eau Claire's first organic and natural food store.

The food selection includes brands such as Newman's Own, Amy's Organics, Naked and POM. There is a large selection of natural and organic food. Products include locally grown vegetables and fruits, dairy products, organic pastas, condiments and frozen meals, along with organic herbal calmatives and digestives, organic liquid soap and natural deodorants. Prices range from 75 cents to $4 for food, and as much as $10 on toiletries.

Some students, such as senior Jeff Kern have already become regulars in the store. Kern said he tries to shop there at least once a day. He's been watching the food he eats and he would rather eat from the Corner Store than go to the cafeteria.

Junior Katie Kolosso, said she was just passing by when she saw all the new things it had. That day she bought soy chips.

"These were under $2," Kolosso said, "and it's a big pack."

Senior Jasmine Lorenz is a member of Foodlums, a group that created the university's garden and supports locally grown produce. She found out through an e-mail sent by Foodlums that the Corner Store had changed its food selection. She says she is almost a regular at the Corner Store and believes the cafeteria doesn't have much of a variety when it comes to healthy food.

"People don't realize it's about quality and not quantity," Lorenz said.

Lorenz said the store is very convenient. She said students should think about where foods come from and what's in them.

The Corner Store is open Monday-Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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