Second Nature Health Food Store under new management

When Charlene and Brian Sheetz first had children, Charlene knew she wanted them to have a healthy start.

The Sheetz family grew its own organic baby food in its home garden, and Charlene shopped at Second Nature Health Food Store in Kutztown before getting a job at the store herself. In January, Elaine Kilgannon, Second Nature’s owner for 26 years, retired. She left the store to Brian, Charlene and Jennifer Noble. The three of them are now in charge of selling organic food, vitamins, herbs, essential oils and other nature-based products to Kutztown and beyond.

“You can see a healthy lifestyle has always been a part of my life and very important to me,” said Charlene, who was “very inspired” by Kilgannon. “Now I have taken this time in my life to focus on a natural approach in helping customers and community members.”

Co-owner Jennifer Noble is studying herbal medicine at David Winston’s Center for Herbal Studies, and she is on her way to becoming a certified herbalist. “An herbalist’s philosophy is ‘A good herbalist treats people, not the disease,’” Noble said. “I think the biggest challenge is keeping up on these forever changing times and what our industry has to offer to our customers and community.”

As new owners, she and Charlene plan on researching the latest supplements and herbal products to increase Second Nature’s product variety. At the same time, they have to make sure the products are actually “natural” and sustainably sourced.

“My plans are to see Second Nature thrive as a business by bringing a holistic approach to the community,” Charlene said. “I myself have a lot to learn and I am very motivated and up for the challenge.”

“I am very passionate about natural and organic foods,” Noble said. “It is very disturbing to me that we the people are eating foods sold in stores that are covered in insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. I believe there comes a point in everyone’s life where change is needed. Sometimes, it may not be clear to us in the moment… then suddenly it hits us that this is our path and it was meant to be.”