Natural Living Center in Bangor is a top-spot for plant-based eaters like us. (I can't speak for their 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....) read more

See all

The environment is organic and not stiff. Much better than T&R in Brewer - It has wonderful, helpful, 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 read more

Love the homemade soups. Ask for a sing which they're delicious and made to order. They usually have what I need there. And if they don't have it they are more than willing to order. Bagel Central bagels are always fresh. read more

This place is amazing and the best shop in all of Bangor. Take your paycheck and spend it here because you won't find another organic co-op like this outside of Portland, both Oregon and Maine. Kudos to the amazing vegan selection, wall of treats, and superb wine and beer section (including many fabulous and unusual non-alcoholic selections as well) read more

Great soup. This natural foos store has a small cafe that makes wonderful soups. You can spend a lot of time shopping in this wall stocked store Amazing selection of everything read more

So glad I stumble onto this place. Great to see a huge array of organic/ natural foods offerings. As we all lead busy lives , it great to find a place of natural and wholesome goodness without all the additives and reprocessed products. It is a bit more expensive but we all know it cost a little more to put wholesome foods into our bodies. In the end it is better for us. I love the different types of flour one can get. Next time I wanted to get wholesome/ organic flour to make artisan bread I will definitely get enough to bake rather than buying a 5 lbs bag in the supermarket that goes to waste because of expiration dates. In the end less waste and throw aways and I'm all about that. My hubby wanted to get Dr Bronner's soap so I searched and found this place. And yes they do carry it. A great find place to stumble upon! read more

See all

This store is wonderful! There's a bulletin board with local meetings, plays, workshops & classes with anything local having to do with a healthy & holistic way of life. There's a kombucha machine up front for samples. They had a glass cabinet FULL of Young Living Essential Oils! There's 2 aisles of organic fresh produce. There's organic flours, rice, nuts, grains & herbs. They have every type of dried herb for incense, every kind of lotion, soap, & cream for the skin. They have gluten free, non gmo, & organic cereals, bars, preserves, sodas, juices, & water. They have local made nests, breads, cheeses & jerky. Seriously.. this is a health nut's dream! Check out ALL my pictures!!! read more

See all

This place feels like it's seen better days. There's a lot of space but it's not very filled. The choice of products feels like everything was bought by somebody who had been to a food co-op back in the 90s and was put in a deep-freeze in the intervening years. Hannaford has a better ethnic foods section, bulk foods and spices are expensive (thereby defeating the purpose of buying bulk) and every time I drive out of my way to go there I leave empty-handed wondering why I thought I would find something there. Bangor desperately needs a store that carries ethnic, bulk, and specialty foods and local produce. The Natural Living Center isn't it. read more

The last couple of times I have tried to get produce....the cherry tomatoes had moldy ones in the box, the avocados were like sacs of liquid, the red and yellow peppers were wrinkly and soft, the cucumbers were weird and waterlogged, and the beets were mushy. Very gross....Definitely not purchasable condition outside of wartime or other dramatic scarcity situations. Also when I got home and cut up the onion I got, it was full of mold. Disgusting produce.I shop here less since witnessing the female manager freaking out and wildly gesticulating at a young employee....but still swing in on occasion, hoping that manager is not working, because that makes for uncomfortable shopping. I do not think it is worth the stop if you need produce. read more

So glad to see such a great store in a small town. Lots of vegan options and great prices! Fantastic coffee and the Tofurkey wrap (made fresh) is really tasty. Stop by and shop here; support a great local business! Say hey to Tom while you're there (the large and friendly bare-headed vegan). read more

Way to expensive, When I heard they told a VET that Marines were not welcome,we stopped going there!!!!!Owner is rude.

Great selection and vast variety of natural foods including bulk and local items. I purchased some local organic coffee which was 12.99 for 12 ounces. Very flavorful and clearly the beans were fresh. If I lived in this area, this would be my spot for these types of items. Easy location to find and easy to park. read more

I LOVED this store. It's big and has a Middle Eastern and an Asian section with some items that are hard to find elsewhere. lots of interesting local products and also a big interesting section for wine making. The staff is nice too. I was little less impressed with the cafe inside but they still had interesting options. read more

Excellent. So many more options and so much more organic food than the Whole Foods (a smaller one yes) near us in California -5 different kinds of organic apples for goodness sake. I had a most excellent vegan curried "chicken" salad. Enough vitamins and supplements for all of Eastern Maine. I hesitate to suggest it because I'm not a regular and don't know if the market could support it but a little more cheese selection would be nice. read more

Pretty funky lay out, but I expect that from a little natural food store. Great selection, bulk peanut butter was a great choice. The shabby looking cafe had an incredible Vegetable Curry. I had one bite of the medium size we bought in the car and went back in to buy a large for myself! If you are vegan/veg traveling in the area, or a local switching from a mainstream diet, this is the place to get your goods. Avoid the mainstream national brands and get local or in-store bulk items. read more

The essential oils collection is SO GREAT and the prices for organic fruits veggies are reasonable as well (I'm from San Francisco). The employees are kind and helpful. The food selection is incredible for others that consume a plant based diet. Love this place! read more

This gem is truly a great find! There is a beautifully wide selection of organic produces to choose from that will leave any pallet satisfied and feeling good. They even have a large selection of beer and wine, which makes this an all-in-one stop! Through my own research I learned that most wines are not vegan, so I felt pretty disheartened seeing as I love wine. However, I read about a Sauvignon Blanc called The Oyster that is vegan and THEY HAVE IT HERE! I was over the moon, and this just reassured me that this place doesn't miss a beat! read more

Natural Living Center - A sustainably-grown, vegan Sauvignon Blanc called The Oyster that also helps fund the restoration of our oyster reefs! - Grocery Near Me - Bangor, Maine

I'm so glad I found this place! Lots of choices!! You can buy little bags of spices to bigger ones. All fresh fruit and vegetables. Local options! Good music while you are shopping around! I will spend too much money here, happily! read more

My husband and I moved to the area last year, and we were super excited to find this store. We've enjoyed the selection of products, the location and until today, the staff. However, we went in today to pick up a handful of items. When we approached the young man at the register (we did not get his name, but he was young with longish, thin hair), he was very sour seeming. He neither greeted us nor made eye contact. He rang up the first couple of items, then picked up a bag of bulk candy my husband was buying. He asked us if we knew how many pieces were in the bag (there were quite a lot), and my husband said he hadn't counted them because when he'd bought them in the past (several times in this store), the ladies weighed the bag to determine the price. The young man snickered and said "yeah, that's not how it works". Not trying to argue, but to make a point, we said that the other ladies always weighed them. He then said "WHAT ladies". We said we didn't know their names, and he rolled his eyes, sighed loudly and said "well that doesn't help me at all". I am 53 years old and I'll tell you, this may have been the rudest anyone has ever treated me in a business. My husband and I are pretty easy going, but I was so offended, I walked out without completing my purchase. My husband went to the office and talked to Bob (apparently the manager on duty), who said he'd address it. I hope he does. Although this really was the first time this happened, this young man was so offensive to us that it will be a while before I feel like I might want to revisit the store. UPDATE: After posting this review on FB, I received an immediate response. The manager apologized, indicated that he'd coached the employee, and even clarified the pricing on the item in question. I am of the opinion that a business may make mistakes. It's how they handle mistakes that matters....this was handled very well! Thank you to the business....I'm going to try again! read more

Let me start by calling your attention to the fact that ALL THE PRODUCE HERE IS ORGANIC except for the wildgathered mushrooms. For those of you who appreciate this -- you know how, in pretty much every store, you have to look at sign after sign in the produce department, figuring out where the organic produce is or which of the displayed bins contain the organic produce? Remember all those incidents where the signage didn't match the actual products? Remember those frustrating moments of thinking something like, "OMG are those ORGANIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS?!?!" only to learn a moment later that "Yes, We Have No Organic [whatever you are looking for] today?" Well, SAY GOODBYE to such moments, to such experiences, and to the days of wondering whether something is organic. At the Natural Living Center, ALL their produce is organic. It was very similar to the feeling a vegetarian has when eating in a vegetarian restaurant -- no need to wonder, no need to ask, just knowing that all the food on the menu is vegetarian is such a relief. This is the same way when it comes to produce -- a huge relief. Apparently their produce section was not all that impressive until last summer, when they remodeled and expanded it. So if you have not been there for six months or more, definitely stop in and see the produce section. It's pretty awesome. They also have a very good selection of other stuff. For example, organic groceries, gluten-free items, vegan items, excellent craft beers, local wines, bulk items, health and body care stuff, and more! Also, the staff are SUPER friendly and knowledgeable. I must agree with other reviewers that the layout is slightly confusing. But that is no reason to drop any stars from the rating. For example, I said to my sweetie, "Well, not much for flour -- I guess we have to choose between white flour and organic flour!" only to discover 30 seconds later that there was an entire HUGE section of different flours that I had not yet discovered, in addition to the flour section I had found first. Well, I consider that a super pleasant surprise, not a reason to whine. :-) Around every corner, there is more funky awesomeness. I say, just explore and enjoy. If you are a home brewer, this is a great place to go for supplies. I admit, I actually got choked up with emotion in this store, just from the joy of being somewhere with so much beautiful organic produce and such high standards as to carry only organic and wildgathered produce. Any store that Moves Me To Tears with its awesomeness gets a five-star rating for sure. If you haven't been here yet, go check this place out. Well worth the drive from almost anywhere in the state. read more

Decent selection to suit your dietary needs/preferences. Much needed in Bangor area. My only experience, sadly, was one fraught with poor customer service. A didactic and smug girl who hadn't showered in at least several days tried to tell me about my auto-immune disease which she confessed she had not heard about before. She was short, indifferent, and borderline disrespectful with her belief that she knew more than me. I left the store with almost everything I came for but feeling like shit. I will consider ordering what I need online next time. read more

As an oasis of healthiness, tucked away behind a Target and Home Depot, this was a welcome find. A large selection of frozen, bulk food items, and groceries, with a small cafe in the back that serves sandwiches, soups and some prepared entrees. I had a vegan veggie wrap made with tofurky and veganiese - although I'm not crazy about wraps, this was good. read more

Coming from Texas where you cant buy RAW milk in the store this place was a great find. Good Brew supplies section, good selections of beer and wine, and if you want to pay more to be healthy this is the place. Good selection. read more

Just moved here from Seattle and I was looking for something as close to a Whole Foods as possible. Went here looking for Chai seed and the staff was friendly and helpful. The store was clean... but i agree with the guy below me... layout was a little funky and hard to find stuff. read more

I have long been displeased with the Natural Living Center. I can understand grossly inflated prices for organic vegetables in Maine the middle of winter. But if you are going to charge exorbitant prices for local, organic vegetables in AUGUST, and they are rotting a few days later, you should not be in business. I grow summer vegetables. I know precisely how long they take to rot. (It's a small garden, so I sometimes need to buy extra for a large dish.) With few alternatives, I have not been able to maintain avoidance of this store, but I do not recommend it. Be especially careful with their produce and check the "best by" dates too. Also, their ice cream freezer is not cold enough, so the (expensive and otherwise delicious) ice cream is half melted and then gets freezer burn and ice crystals. I've also bought other (expensive) freezer items (like tortillas) that have shown signs of being frozen and thawed and frozen again. read more

The atmosphere is definitely health food store, but it had an interesting selection of local wine, including a blueberry port I had to buy. I also saw TVP in a variety of shapes and sizes that are not available to me in CA. Also saw some varieties of soy yogurt that are hard for me to find locally. Overall, I was impressed with the options available, but one of the items picked up was out of date and still on the shelf for full price, so I had to dock it a star for that. read more

This place was a real treat to find while passing through Maine. All organic produce, huge selection of beer and wine, and a huuuuge selection of all sorts of specialty foods. Being vegan, it had everything that I was looking for. read more

It's a bit of s drive to Bangor but they have a wide selection of fresh, organic and pure foods. I believe they buy lots of locally sourced vegetables. As a chef it's always on my list to stop and gather wonderful ingredients for my clients. Gluten free, vegan dairy free choices! read more

This is a large health food store, but very expensive. They seem to have a pretty good selection but unfortunately, the most expensive one I have ever been to and I regularly shop in several. read more

Great place! Employees know you by name! Friendly environment, and a lot of great stuff you can't get anywhere else!

Love the option to purchase foods and hygiene products that are natural and safe. The food tastes excellent as well and I really like their shampoo. read more

Really great selection of health food and hard to find items for vegetarians, vegans, or people with food allergies. Folks in the store are always helpful and order things that are not available. Only complaint is that the store could be organized a bit better, and it would be nice to not have the bulk grains stored on the floor - gross. read more

Today I experienced just how kind, caring and empathetic people, especially those at the Natural Living Center, can be. Today was one of my closest and dearest friends orientation at The University of Maine. It was a big and important day and we are not from around there. After waking up me and her father packed up our belongings from where we were staying and headed over to pick her up. We decided to browse the bookstore until she was done when the minor pain that I had been experiencing all day got worse by the second. It got to the point where it hurt to cough and breathe and I was nearly in tears. It was still early and most vitamin and supplement stores hadn't opened yet and wouldn't open for at least another hour or so. I am unable to take over the counter pain medication or pain maintenance that is prescribed due to other medical issues. In a desperate attempt to find anything that would make me feel better I did a quick google search which led me to the Natural Living Center. I was simply amazed by what they had to offer but so literally blinded by pain that I couldn't focus. It was the first time I physically could not walk myself around and ended up quite miserably in one of the motorized scooters. Myself and my best friend were frantically browsing their selection of natural remedies (which is what I use in my home state) and I think that both of us were a little overwhelmed. I couldn't see, I couldn't focus, when all of a sudden this lovely woman named Nancy appeared from behind me and asked us if we needed help. As I tried to hold back tears and winces of pain I explained to her as calmly as I could what I had been dealing with for the last six or seven months. Doctors have been unable to find a source for my pain as well as my fatigue and insomnia swings and offered no help... and I have seen three of them. I sat there still trying to collect myself as she handed me product after product to see if it would ease my pain (and unintentionally my mind). She not only browsed everything they had for me based off of what I could explain to her, she listened and was genuinely concerned. Wished me the best and managed to do and help me MORE in what I consider one of my worst painful moments and times of need than three separate doctors have been attempting to do for SIX MONTHS, I was so embarrassed and ashamed to have to wheel myself around that store at such a young age for the first time in my life but it eventually subsided because no one there judged me, not even the customers, no one was dismissive of my pain but empathetic and helpful and no one made me feel like what I was going through didn't matter and that I was either making it up or it was all in my head. I left there, still in pain, but with my spirits so much higher because they were able to provide me with products that worked BETTER than what I had been getting back home as well as understanding and genuine kindness. I will never be able to express the thanks and gratitude that I felt as I applied new stronger cream to my aching body as we pulled out of the parking lot. So from the very bottom of my heart thank you to all of the staff that assisted me and helped me but especially to Nancy, you will truly never know how grateful I was to have met you that day and have your help and guidance. No one and nothing has been able to make me feel better than the products you had me try and that in itself is a miracle in it's own right. You never appreciate your body and what you have until you wake up one day in the middle of winter and realize that at the young age of 24 you can't take care of yourself or your 5 year old child on your own like you were able to do without blinking an eye before. Again, thank you so much. I wish there were more people (and not to mention establishments) like you in the world. read more