Nice little natural foods store with a bunch of aisles full of non-perishables, some produce in the…read morefront, and a counter for ordering food. We bought some wild blueberries there and walked around the store to take a look around. We didn't see too much gluten-free at the counter, but everyone there was nice. The blueberries were pretty good; we ended up picking up some more at a farmer's market that were tasty too.

There is no guarantee of great customer service anywhere. But the apparent free fall in customer…read moreservice at A & B Naturals stings. For years, this store has been an oasis of good vibes, healthy food and employees who seemed genuinely aligned around better food, better health, better community and a better kind of commerce -- one that puts people and community first. What I experienced in mid-July 2026 felt more like the customer service I'd expect from a cranky big-city bodega employee pushing scratch tickets, vodka nips, cigarettes and herbal Viagra at the register. I'm a longtime, loyal A & B Naturals shopper. But maybe not anymore. I recently learned that more than $300 in receipts I had carefully saved for redemption through the store's loyalty program are now worthless. I always liked being able to redeem old receipts for a modest discount on future purchases. Apparently, that program changed during the dead of winter. Under the new rules, only receipts from the same calendar year can be redeemed. As a 20-plus-year summer resident of MDI, maybe I missed the 2025 messaging. I assume there was some warning. But the change landed harshly for someone like me who had saved receipts in good faith. What bothers me is that A & B Naturals apparently gave longtime (summertime) customers no grace period or soft landing -- no window to redeem older receipts before making them worthless. It feels abrupt and unnecessarily unfriendly to loyal shoppers. But that alone wouldn't bring my review down to two stars. What really gets my goat is how ONE employee treated me when I expressed disappointment about the change. Let me be clear: I love the A & B Naturals staff. Most are salt of the earth. They represent a diversity I celebrate, and they are a big reason I've shopped there for years. The nutritionist, in particular, is amazing -- knowledgeable, patient and genuinely helpful. But one bad apple can ruin the cart. An older employee named Katherine met me at the counter and was defensive, smug, condescending and rude. She told me I was the first person ever to complain about the new loyalty rules. When I asked to speak with the owner, her response was: "It won't do you any good." When I told her I was disappointed by both the loyalty change and the way she was treating me -- and that I was considering leaving a review or writing a letter to the editor -- she again essentially told me it wouldn't matter and nobody would care. Her tone and demeanor made it clear she wasn't interested in hearing me out or de-escalating the conversation. Quite the opposite. I felt dismissed and talked down to. There was no acknowledgment that a longtime customer might reasonably be disappointed, no sympathy, no attempt to explain the change constructively and certainly no effort to preserve goodwill. Maybe I missed the notice about the loyalty program. Fair enough. But good customer service isn't about always giving the customer what they want. Sometimes it's simply about listening, showing a little empathy and treating a loyal customer like their business still matters. That part should never expire.

The Blue Hill co-op is a great place to shop and spend time. It's a wonderful community hub. The…read morestaff is friendly and knowledgeable. There's a pleasant atmosphere in the store and patio. It's a happy, healthy place!

We love the Co-op! We moved here from Texas and had access to farm fresh, locally grown produce…read more I was so happy to learn about the Co-op. We went on a whim and came home with so many good things. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. The store is well organized and everything was stocked well. I'm not afraid to admit it...I'm addicted to the Co-op!

Natural Living Center in Bangor is a top-spot for plant-based eaters like us. (I can't speak for…read moretheir non-vegan produce; but, they seem to carry a lot of local meats, dairy and such.) Their products run the gamut, including a large Asian section. Aisles are nice and wide; lots of refrigerators. Overall, it's clean, bright, and well-stocked. Produce section is, overall, good with a lot of local goods. That said, they sometimes tend to leave withering and browning veggies out on display WAY beyond attractiveness going into decay. (Our last visit had the same rotting celery on display/sale from a visit several days earlier! It was pretty gross-looking. Thus, 4 instead of 5 stars.) Other than that one glaring negative, customer service can be spotty and downright oblivious (but, it's status quo for much of today's young workforce). And, too, expect maximum pricing on, at least, plant-based/vegan products. (Can rival Brewer's Tiller & Rye for outrageous pricing!) These negatives aside, NLC offers a great variety for vegans in Bangor that can't be overlooked! (But, in all honesty, living in Bucksport, we tend to head to Belfast to shop plant-based. However, Natural Living Center recently started carrying a good number of locally-made Midcoast Vegan products (which we LOVE!), so that looks to be a lure for our steady return, for now. And the Asian section....)

The environment is organic and not stiff. Much better than T&R in Brewer - It has wonderful,…read morehelpful, knowledgeable staff that are always around to help. The prices are a little higher than my husband would like to pay, but I don't feel like I am being stolen from as in many other natural food stores. They've been around forever, and I will continue to take my family here as long as they are! My son & daughter have both looked forward to our weekly trips for 15 years

I was recently in Rockland for a week and delighted to find this store! You'll find lots of great…read moreproduce (often from Maine farms) along with bulk goods, other groceries, and a small home goods/personal products section. There's a really good cheese case (I found some herby Vermont goat cheese I hadn't had before, mmm); prepared food to go (sandwiches, salads, and soup), and a nice little bakery counter where I got their house-made maple ginger sugar cookies. They had seedlings for sale too, also local. If you like shopping at your local co-op or farmers' market this is the place for you!

Ever since moving to the Midcoast area, Good Tern has become my go-to spot for clean item,…read morespecifically local organic produce, milk, eggs and cheese. The employees are always very informative and eager to provide top notch service. The store isn't huge but has a great selection. Their local produce is always stunning and I especially love their selection of raw dairy products. I'm in here at least once a week and recommend it to everyone I meet in the area.

I adore this place! It's always clean, well stocked and has many of the more obscure items I buy…read moresuch as soy curls and tofutti which I don't see anywhere but here anymore. The produce department is my favorite. Their lettuce and kale bunches are large, local and priced fairly. A great store for vegans/vegetarians! It is a little tight in there as it's not a large store but it is concentrated and laid out well. The staff is usually always friendly but as with any place, there are occasional exceptions. I'd recommend not shopping in the late afternoon as the traffic in that area gets pretty congested.

I love this little store. They have trusted healthy products for reasonable prices. Since I've been…read morebuying my baking ingredients from Uncle Dean's I can trust that my food is healthy and way better for my well being compared to buying processed foods from large foreign owned stores like Hannaford, Wal-Mart ect.... Thank you Uncle Deans for your healthy products.

This is the closest store where I can shop and get organic fresh vegetables in the seasons when I…read morecannot harvest from my garden and greenhouse. I do not purchase other products as the prices are higher than I can get them elsewhere. 80 percent of the time I have shopped in this store I have been overcharged. Make sure to ask for the itemized receipt and check it carefully to make sure you are not overcharged. When alerting the check out person there is no real apology only some explanation that does not really explain why I was overcharged. I used to buy packaged lunches that were made by Chow Mein and last time I was there I was told they have decided not to carry their products any longer. I no longer shop at Fresh Off the Farm. Oh, one other thing, as far as I know there is no actual bathroom for workers, only a portable toilet outdoors. Concerning since they handle produce, etc.

I do not go to this store on a regular basis and today reinforced my decision to go to other stores…read morethat offer similar products. The staff butted in front of me without any "excuse me" or other acknowledgement . The cashier did not ask for my number so that I could have my purchase count towards my rewards. I grew up and have lived here all my life so I am not a tourist or from away. I will never go to this store again after the treatment I experienced today. I work in retail and I would never , ever, treat a customer in this manner. if I could give a negative number that would sum up my shooting experience.

My husband and I have always been a bit shocked at the prices yes. So we have not shopped here much…read moreover the past few years. But. Not wanting to spend another $50 on lunch at the usual places in town we decided to grab some tuna salad today and eat outside. I bought an Asian salad with noodles and peanuts and carrots and incredible dressing. I swear, this was the best salad I've had in months if not years. I'm not kidding. Even the carrots stood out, were different. Delicious. The fennel is 2 or 3 times bigger than fennel at the grocery stores, $4.99 (usually about $3.99 at the others) 4 kinds of plantain chips. Fantastic low sugar pineapple soda from Mexico. Beautiful corn. After eating this food today at a picnic table over on Pemaquid Pond, we are doing a complete reversal and going to start shopping here a lot more. Yes it's expensive but vegetables do taste different, esp when they're not flown in from far away. And the attitudes of the employees is joyful and welcoming, such a good feeling. Good Job Rising Tide!

I live in metro Atlanta GA., but have a friend who lives just one mile from Rising Tide. She is 103…read moreyears old, and recently recieved The Boston Cane Award for being the oldest living resident in Daramiscotta ME. Well someone so special deserves a special surprise! So I had this desire, but what could I do with it?I I got on line, and decided to call Rising Tide, I spoke with their front desk manager Kate, who is fabulous by the way, and within no time she jumped on board my bandwagon. They don't have a delivery service, but another wonderful employee said she would be happy to deliver my gift. Within an hour they put together a lovely gift bag for me. Fresh flowers, a bottle of red wine, an array of organic chocolates, a yummy creamy cheese, specialty crackers, grapes, and a lovely card. Kate even wrote my personal sentiments inside the card for me. In about one hour they took my desire to do something nice, and brought my wish into fruition. Talk about angels on earth!! Kate accidently forgot to charge me for the grapes, and wanted to pay for those herself. I can never say enough about the employees of Rising Tide Co-op and their hearts for service. Bravo my friends!! Thank you for all you do!! You deserve acknowlegement for just being you! You can bet if I ever make it back to your area, Rising Tide will be my first stop! I can't wait to meet you!

A great place to find spices supplements and bulk items like honey and grains. I am glad to see…read morethis store is still around. It's been in operation for over 20 years and has the best staff in the area for health foods and information.

I immediately walk into this business feeling welcomed with a clean appearance and need for more…read moreadded to their already stacked menu. I tend to order a large protein shake as well as a refreshing energizing drink and am always pleased with the quality and perfectionist mindset the staff have when creating these meal enhancers. I look forward to seeing more from this bustling business.