Meet Jayne Truesdell, the owner of The Naked Grocer in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA. The Naked Grocer, a “waste-less” grocery store, prioritizes sustainability by supporting environmentally responsible producers, avoiding single-use plastic packaging, and sourcing food as locally as possible. You’ll find an inventory of fresh produce, pantry staples, dairy products, eggs, tofu, bakery goods, and more at The Naked Grocer. Don’t forget to BYOC: Bring Your Own (refillable) Containers! Get to know more in this week’s Business Spotlight: The Naked Grocer.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s your favorite part about the community your business is in & why?
I have loved getting to know our customers! Especially the regulars. I love being a part of their lives and weekly routine. It’s exciting to find out what they “like” or “don’t like” and continue improving their shopping experience.
Why is it important to you and your business that people #SpendLikeItMatters?
If we want resilient, diverse, and creative communities. Then we have to put our money into those things! You will get out what you put into your local community.
As a business owner, what’s the strangest or craziest idea you’ve ever tried?
I think just opening this business has been my craziest idea, haha! I’m putting it all on the line for this and sometimes it seems crazy 😛
What’s something your customers may not know about you or your business?
I don’t want people to be scared off by the “per pound” price of items sometimes. Sure, black peppercorns are $35.00/LB but you are only buying an oz or two at a time. Which ends up being around $2.00/oz. In many ways, bulk shopping ends up being more affordable than you would think 🙂
What are some of your favorite local businesses and why?
I love Kobo Shop & Gallery in Capitol Hill and the ID. It’s the perfect place to buy a thoughtful gift. I also love Fuji Bakery (either location), the egg salad sammy and crunchy cream donuts are worthy of a special trip. I actually LIVE IN Renton so I’d like to give a shout-out to Boon Boona as well as Naan-N-Curry which I could eat every day and never get sick of.
Anything else you’d like us to know about you and your business?
I would love everyone to know how we are putting our whole hearts into this! I believe in a more sustainable future and I just know we can get there together!