Jordan Beck | Daily Press Health Way Nutrition store owner Jim Schwake and Manager Paula Sturm stand behind the store’s front counter.

Editor’s note: The Daily Press features a profile of an area business each week. This week’s featured business is Health Way Nutrition Store in Escanaba.

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By Jordan Beck

jbeck@dailypress.net

ESCANABA — Over the past few decades, Health Way Nutrition Store has been a destination for people seeking nourishing foods and dietary supplements in the area.

Health Way had previously been run by current owner Jim Schwake’s sister-in-law, Gloria Kossow, who began operating the store in the early ’80s. Kossow took over operations of the store from the Escanaba Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Schwake and his wife Eunice started running Health Way on March 1, 1990.

“I bought myself a job, pretty much,” Schwake said.

In celebration of its anniversary, the store offered a sale in March.

“It’s all through the month,” Schwake said of the sale.

The store also introduced monthly discount days this January. These include a 10 percent discount for seniors and veterans on the first Wednesday of each month and 10 percent off for all shoppers on the second and third Thursdays of the month.

Although getting Escanaba residents used to health food proved to be difficult at first, Schwake said business at Health Way has been strong.

“It’s been really good … it’s doing very well now,” he said.

Some of the store’s most successful recent products have been part of the gluten-free trend.

“(There’s) a lot of wheat-free, gluten-free stuff,” Schwake said. Other popular items sold at Health Way include CBD oil, chaga, discounted vitamins and bulk spices.

Plans to add more space to the store in the next few months are being considered.

“We’re going to try and expand this spring,” Schwake said.

According to Schwake, the possibility of expanding Health Way is something that has been discussed for quite a while.

“We’ve been wanting to expand for a long time, but I think it’s getting to the point where we need to,” he said. The store would likely become at least one and a half times its current size after the expansion if it takes place.

Schwake thanked his customers for their continued support of Health Way.

“We’re glad for all the support we get,” he said.