TOUR: Organnons Natural Market - New Britain, PA

Organnons Natural Market
Owner: Jim Gannon

Opened: Jan 2021-Jun 2022
Cooperative: INFRA
Location: 409 E Butler Ave, New Britain, PA

Photographed: December 28, 2021

We are here in New Britain, right outside of Doylestown, to tour the Organnons Natural Market. This was one of two locations for the company, with the other in Newtown. Unfortunately, the New Britain location was rather short-lived for Organnons, opening in January 2021 and closing by June 2022. It is located on the ground floor of a new-build apartment complex, and the store is on the smaller side, probably under 10,000 square feet.

We enter to produce in the front corner, with dairy in the first aisle and frozen on the back wall. The prepared foods/coffee shop area is on the right side. The store is oriented so as to be accessible to both the street and the parking lot. But sadly I don't think there's much left of the store these days, as everything in it was auctioned off last summer.

I don't know why the store failed -- it could be any number of factors, but the biggest problem I see with the store is that although it's a small neighborhood-type store, it feels very cold and impersonal. Not a good combination. There's no decor, for instance, beyond a few signs and the aisle markers, and everything is gray. Compare this to the warm, rustic-looking Newtown store.

All the fixtures and finishes are very attractive for sure, but there's a little bit of dissonance between the industrial and sleek look of the store and its positioning.

On the cafe side of the store was also a HABA department with natural vitamins and beauty products.

And there was a small but complete grocery selection. All of the products are natural or organic. No meat or seafood in this store, which is pretty common in the natural markets.

And the cafe in the corner felt sparse and poorly thought-out, rather than welcoming and relaxing.

I don't believe a new tenant has since taken over this space.

And there is a small seating area in the front. The big windows and couches are very nice, but it still doesn't look very comfortable.

It's never a good thing when a supermarket fails, especially an independent one, so I'm glad I got to see this store during its brief life! Our next stops will be in Doylestown, so come back here next week for a look at a small-format gourmet market in the downtown area!