Marjie's Gluten-Free Pantry provides customers with knowledge and products

Name of Business: Marjie’s Gluten-Free Pantry and Food Co-op

Address: 112 W. Caroline St., Fenton

Phone: (810) 714-0959

Website: marjiespantry.com

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, d 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. closed Sundays.

Owner: Marjie C. Andrejciw of Fenton

Number of employees: 2

When opened: May 2010

Square footage: 750 square feet

Most known for: Specializing in gluten- and dairy-free foods.

What services or products do you provide for your customers?

We are a health food store and food co-op. The retail store only carries natural and organic gluten- and dairy-free foods, environmentally sound health care products, environmentally sound cleaning products, and many Michigan-made products. We receive Sami’s Bakery freshly baked millet bread and products from Florida on Friday afternoons. The co-op offers more than 30,000 products and we receive deliveries on Friday mornings. Marjie is a holistic nutritional counselor and sees clients through her practice, Circle of Life Nutrition, located inside the store.

Why should people do business with your company?

We take great steps to ensure that the products carried in the store are of high quality and free of harmful additives, gluten, and dairy.

What is the atmosphere inside your business? Very friendly and helpful.

What is the most unique service or product your business offers? A place to shop when looking for high-quality food and products.

How would you describe your average customer? Most of our customers have a food intolerance or are conscientious about the quality of the products that they are buying. They have been to the traditional grocery store and are just not finding what they are looking for.

What makes your business stand out? Currently we are the only health food store and food co-op dedicated to only carrying gluten- and dairy-free products in Michigan. Having a holistic nutritional counselor on staff is a real benefit.

What types of gifts can someone purchase from your company? We carry Ancient Secrets Himalayan salt lamps, Picklemeister 1 gallon fermentation jars, Nature’s Alchemy essential oils, candy without the artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup, locally made bar soaps and loofa mitts, an Ayurvedic line of face care products, and gift certificates. Plus, we have an antique Sellers Bakers Cabinet dating back to the 1920s for sale.

What's your favorite story about your business? Our logo is the Graphium weiskei butterfly, also known as the purple mountain swallowtail. This butterfly lives in mountainous areas above an altitude of 4000 feet in Papua New Guinea and is relatively rare. This butterfly symbolizes a transformation in health for our customers and their ability to soar despite living in a world that does not always understand. The purple color in the butterfly represents spirituality and higher consciousness and the green color represents growth and healing.