R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press At Healthway Nutrition Store, Jim Schwake and Paula Sturm assist a customer who had called ahead to set aside an item.

ESCANABA — When Jim Schwake bought the store at 2307 1st Avenue South in Escanaba from sister-in-law Gloria Kossow in 1990, the average adult could see over the shelves of vitamins in what was, under Kossow, “Health Way Nutrition Center.” Schwake thought the name was confusing, so to clarify that the business was a retail establishment, he changed it to “Healthway Nutrition Store.”

While the building itself hasn’t expanded, Schwake, his wife Eunice and daughter Paula have maximized the use of the space. The small structure is densely packed, not with overstock, but sheer variety of offerings.

The products have changed greatly for a number of reasons. The building originally was owned by the nearby Seventh-day Adventist Church, who ran part as a store and part as a food pantry. When Kossow bought it, she opened the whole place to customers and focused on healthy foods. Schwake kept the theme and developed how and what they carried.

“There was only one two-door freezer and one cooler,” he said, and gestured to the row of freezer space that now stands opposite the counter with several shelves of dairy-free ice cream and other allergen-free foods. “We’ve added two coolers. We did a lot of remodeling and all that; got new equipment, shelving.” The people who used to be able to see over the shelves now crane their necks to see ones that rise almost to the ceiling.

As far as the product line, Schwake wouldn’t have been able to keep stocking the same old merchandise even if he wanted to. “The stuff they used to make 20 or 30 years ago don’t even exist anymore,” he said.

“Bulk foods back in the ’80s and ’90s used to be very popular,” chipped in Paula Sturm, his daughter, who runs the store now. Jim ran the place for only a few years before he went back to work full time in 1993, at which point operations passed to his wife, Eunice. She handled Healthway for about 20 years before Paula moved back to Esky and stepped in. Now it’s mostly Paula and her sister, two other employees, and Jim for brief morning spells.

Of the shifts throughout the decades: “People’s eating habits have changed,” said Paula. More spices are available; in 1990 the store stocked about 30, but at present that number is around 400.

Paula explained that bulk items used to be popular when people did more home cooking. People are busier these days and prefer the convenience of prepared items, so Healthway stocks what customers ask for. Paula said she goes to food shows and hunts for vendors to do her best to track down requests.

“We do a lot of special things for people. And that’s our thing. We go above and beyond where a big box store can’t.” While larger stores have chains of departments who must communicate before making purchases, people stopping into Healthway on any given day are likely to meet Paula, who directly sources the items on the shelves.

A bucket of massive zucchini were on sale outside, along with some other vegetables that Paula grows in her own garden. She said that 100% of the proceeds from her produce goes to charity.

Customers at Healthway Nutrition Store shop for wholesome options that accommodate food allergies, digestive issues, and trouble sleeping, said Paula. They tend to leave happy.