I was a fervent Root Cellar-er when they were under the old owners and when they were located on…read moreBroadway (more on that later), but now it's on a whole 'nother level. No, literally, they have more than one level to the store. What's going on? Why can't they just stay in that basement place and call it good? Well, this new venue is bigger, and the old owner(s) also owned the Broadway Brewery, and the rumor is they are going to expand that restaurant into the basement place where they old Root Cellar was located. Plus, this new place has much more panache, and since the new downtown farmer's market started on Sundays, this new location hooks them into that whole casbah (or would it be a souk?). Anyhow, there are things in the works. Some of the things in the works: Free wi-fi for the internet deficient. There is a loading dock that they want to turn into a stage for live music acts, and the audience can hunker down in the parking lot and listen al fresco. They've already installed a cooler in the loading dock deck, where they might start stocking beer and wine and such. I told them to install some old speakers and a turntable and an amp, and I would provide a mess of vinyl, and that would attract the neo-retro folks who dig that stuff. Who knows. From the loading dock deck, you can saunter down a few stairs into a long room with a huge wooden bar, end-capped with a deli counter. So the plan is, to have sandwiches and stuff, as well as coffee, tea, etc. Perhaps they will give Uprise a run for their money? I say they should aim for a different consumer niche, since Uprise has pretty much locked-in the hipster crowd, they need to go for the blue collar crowd who appreciate all that local food/music stuff. Who knows? This could usher in a critical mass for the new North Village Arts District. Maybe it will give the "District" a run for their money. The "District" being the semi-mafioso oligarchs who control the downtown area, and who took out the benches from the sidewalks because unseemly folks were sitting in them. I guess they installed them, so they can take them out, but geez, it sounds a little draconian. For all I know the NVA District folks will do the same thing, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Anyhow, here is a good article on their moving, and some nice photos: http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2011/06/20/root-cellar-moves-north-village-arts-district/ In addition, they have a CSA, where you can get a box of local veggies and fruits and stuff for like $30 or so. They give you a little print out with info on where everything came from, and some recipes that include some of the foods. You pay by the week, but to guarantee a box, you should sign up. The new owners are real nice, and if you are looking for suggestions on what is good or interesting, they are very helpful.

Great little find in downtown! I read online that this place has THE best chicken available around…read moretown and boy was I correct! At first I was sticker shocked at the price, but after realizing that I'm supporting local agriculture as well as, having the closest thing to fresh here -- totally worth it!!! I wish it could fresh and not frozen, but hey not complaining! Their veggies are delish and fresh, too! Can't beat local arugula from MO! Definitely check it out!

This store has a lot of the brands I look for, but they often run out of items that I need,…read moreespecially in the produce section. There have been so many times that I had to ask where the bananas were, beets, etc. Overall I'm so glad this store exists, because it is the closest to Whole Foods so far here, although it's also nothing like WF. It would be nice if they opened a location in the Southwest of town because it's quite a drive, especially when there's no option to pick up. It is so expensive at Natural Grocers which I was absolutely shocked at, but I guess we have no choice other than to spend the money because Columbia doesn't have a lot of options for organic food. I at least appreciate that the store exists. A common misconception is that Natural Grocers is cheaper than Whole Foods. It's not. I used to shop at Whole Foods in my old town and it was significantly cheaper, more items to choose from, and they actually have a meat counter which is missing from Natural Grocers. I spend double the money when I'm here compared to WF. I miss the days where you can go get all your meats from one store. I cannot find good quality meats here, but they do have some chicken and ground beef options that's packaged. But even then, they run out of it. I miss having the options. Some other differences between NG and WF---- Whole Foods has an option where you can order from an app and pick up in the parking lot. NG doesn't have this option. WF has a smoothie and coffee bar, as well as a hot food bar. The amount of people dissing WF to me is just insane. This attachment to "the way things were" in the Midwest and limited thinking has got to be changed here in Columbia. One thing I appreciate about NG is that they do not use Apeel, which is a big problem in other stores. The one thing I REALLY do not like about this store is the amount of rude people who work the cashier register, especially to people who shop a large amount of groceries at once. I don't want to say all of them because some of them have been very nice. However, there was one African American lady who you could feel just hated her job and hated ringing me up and would make snarky comments to me. It was more than once and very clear she hated what she was doing there. I did not catch her name because it was hard to even be around her due to how uncomfortable she would make me. Another person named Sloan is always passive aggressive to me and other customers when ringing us up. Every time I get rung up by these people, they seem extra bothered and have a rude, standoffish demeanor about them. Their behavior was just strange, unacceptable and lame. Especially someone like me new to the Midwest, these types of people are the reason I don't find Midwesterners all that friendly. They are ruder than people from big cities. I get very anxious in the store because I don't want to deal with some of the rude cashiers. The rest have been decent and one of them was exceptionally kind to me, but I forget her name. Management should help these people understand that even if they're annoyed with their job, we are the ones spending an exorbitant amount of money to help the business and keep the lights on, and possibly even your job. I get it, work sucks. But it's not okay to be rude to customers or act like you're bothered when you're ringing someone up. It sucks to only have one store and one option in town to go to, to get organic food. Eating healthy shouldn't have to be this hard or complicated. But overall, I'm glad it exists because without it we would have nothing.

been looking for allergen friendly Halloween candy KCMO didnt order any and were not getting any…read moreaccording to the regional manager they messed up this location had their act together so bought several packages here thank you!

This is now my second visit to Columbia farmers market. Saturday is definitely the day to visit as…read moreit's stacked with local vendors with exceptional variety. Everything from vegetables to flower, bread, jams, and jellies to fresh made pasta, really just to many things to mention here. Come on down and see for yourself. They even have live music.

Who: Local farmers in their overalls, hippies, kids running around and the moms who chase them,…read morecollege students, and maybe even a bluegrass band. What: Fruits, vegetables, plants, herbs, jams, preserves, eggs, cheese, fresh cut flowers, pastas, Uprise Bakery breads, Missouri Legacy beef, and more all grown/raised/baked with love within a 55 mile radius of that very spot. Where: Behind the ARC on the corner of Ash and Clinkscales. Lots of parking, folks. When: Saturday mornings from 8 a.m. to noon. Why: Because you love waking up to the smell of organic breakfast burritos and you deserve a Saturday morning slice of banana bread. Because you bought that canvas tote bag and by golly you want to fill it up. Because you LOVE fresh basil and some Yelper named Chelsea B. said they have the best blackberries she has EVER tasted and you want to try them, too. Because it really is fresh and local, it isn't shipped in on a diesel-fueled truck from Chile, these are nice people doing right by the world, and you want to support it. Well go you.

I am so happy that Columbia has an Asian market! The selection of goods is very good given the…read morelocation and I can normally find everything that I need here! The prices are a bit high most likely because everything is imported but overall they are relatively reasonable. There is a wide variety of ramen, Asian snacks, and ingredients to cook Asian food. They do not give out bags but there is a wall of boxes that you can use to carry your goods out of the store. Overall good market with good variety!

My sister loves Asian cuisine, so while she was in town she wanted to cook an authentic Asian meal…read morefor the family. We needed some pretty specific ingredients, and Hong King market was the perfect place for it! The staff was friendly and most items were also labeled in English. So many cool authentic items! I cant wait to keep coming back!! The place was a little funky smelling, which is the only reason I didn't give it a 5!

Great little spot - only place in town I was able to find sushi grade tuna…read more Has a parking lot, so its easy to find a spot despite being downtown.

Good selection of Asian/Korean foods. The guy working at the register was very nice, and will…read morelikely be back.

I was in Columbia for a family wedding and was excited to see, my welcome bag had favorites of the…read morebride and groom. I had a packet of Chocolate Covered Pretzels and another packet containing a Chocolate Covered Oreo. Typically I was a glass of cold milk with my Oreo, but this one from the Candy Factory was perfect just being dipped in chocolate. The pretzels gave me a nice mix of savory and sweet. The two pack had one dipped in Milk Chocolate and another in, White Chocolate. I surprised myself, by liking the White Chocolate best. It seemed to have a sweeter taste, which went well with the salty pretzel. While out exploring downtown Columbia, I stopped by to give their Chocolate Covered Strawberries a tasting. OMG - so good. The chocolate shell had a good crunch and the berry was super juicy. I feel bad that I did not, take a picture of the deliciousness. The customer service was attentive and the associates were eager to recommend their favorites. If you love chocolate, you gotta stop by Candy Factory.

A gem of a local business! The Candy Factory is a Columbia institution which features a large…read moreassortment of locally made chocolate and other candies. We've been shopping here for years for ourselves and for gift giving and have never been disappointed. For the quality, the prices are not too bad either, you have the option to either buy individual items or order by the pound (around $20 a pound last I checked). The service is always friendly and helpful, and the store is nice and cozy. Highly recommended!

My wife and I wandered in during a walk through the downtown. Wasn't sure what to expect, as I…read morelike olive oil, but know little or nothing about it. The young woman staffing store was friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. She went out of her way to assist me, as I had no idea how to sample the oils or what to look for. Ended up with a bottle of very delicious hojiblanca. Planning on going back to try others and to pick up some balsamic vinegar.

Love the oils and vinegars here and would highly recommend the place. We just went there at 6:50 on…read morea Saturday evening to try and restock on a couple that we really like and we were ushered out and yolks they were closing even though the sign on the door said they were open til 8.

I shop Clovers for all my supplements. They have a wonderful resource center (with a place to sit…read moredown & read/write. If you are new to homeopathic or natural treatments, the staff are great. I did my own research, then a staff member explained the differences in brands, and forms (i.e. drops vs. tablet) to help me make the best purchases. They also have a store brand of most vitamins/supplements that are the same as other store prices - but I don't have to worry about the ingredients. On Reward days, I bring my grandsons in to choose snacks for a park picnic. I can relax in knowing I am not going to have to say no due to it not being healthy. The bulk foods section in my personal favorite - for pennies I can try a new spice :) We shop at the other location on East Broadway most of the time, however, this Chapel Plaza store does have a larger selection. If Broadway doesn't have it but Chapel Plaza does, they will get it to you if you don't want to venture to the southwest part of town. I have been a Clovers shopper for forty some years and I always see new things every time I go.

I like Clover's a lot while recognizing that it, at times, is expensive. There are good sales,…read morethough, and I watch for those. And the staff at the Forum store is especially friendly and helpful. I don't know what we would have done without this place during the lockdown. Forever grateful for their quick response to the need to order online. We spent a bundle but really enjoyed the super fresh produce.