Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage (gallery)

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage touts a back-to-basics approach to health, shopping and business.

This certified organic handler and processor’s philosophy has always focused on affordable, clean living, not getting caught up in trends (though Natural Grocers isn’t afraid to be a trendsetter of sorts by giving shelf space to new natural products).

“If you can’t afford to eat it, it isn’t health food,” says Alan Lewis, the company’s director of organic compliance.

This picture tour of the recently opened Littleton, Colo., store highlights how Natural Grocers is spreading its healthy, organic values beyond the borders of its home state.

After bootstrapping for 50 years, the Colorado-based retailer is opening at a rate of one store every three to four weeks. But it hasn’t left its old-fashioned, holistic values behind.

 “It took awhile to get a slicker look being as we’re not slick,” Lewis says.