Ever since I took up running in the late 1970s, nutrition has been part of my life. For more than 40 years I have been a vegetarian (sometimes vegan) and have read many articles on the right kind of nutrition needed to be a successful athlete. So I took notice of a Facebook post about a new nutrition store in Pleasant Hill.
April 9 marked the grand opening for the Cove Nutrition store. The store has been open and operating since November, but owners chose to delay their official opening until the warmer spring weather. It turned out to be a good choice as their grand opening was a huge success as many regulars and newcomers took advantage of a nice spring day to check out the store. My visit that day saw a very busy and packed store.
The Copper Creek Lake area provides a great setting for the store. As the weather continues to warm, customers can take advantage of the patio seating at the back of the store, which allows for a peaceful and beautiful view of the lake. Ankeny residents Scott and Melissa Sensor are the owners of the store. When asked why they chose a Pleasant Hill location, Melissa shared that her desire was to locate in a place with a small-town feel. In her view, Pleasant Hill provided the ideal location.
She also shared her reason for opening a nutrition store. Nutrition for her was very important due to some health issues she dealt with in the past. She needed to be aware of her nutritional needs and how they helped her healing process. Melissa is not new to the nutrition scene; she was also part of a similar type of nutrition store start-up in the Indianola area.
Cove Nutrition will seek to cater to anyone looking for a certain type of nutritional requirements, whether it be vegan, gluten free, protein centered, weight loss, fat reduction or others. This is an important part of the store philosophy. A flexibility to meet the customer’s specific dietary or nutritional needs is something the store will always work to satisfy.
Cove Nutrition provides a wide range of energizing teas, energy drinks and protein shakes and energy bars. The owners stressed that the main reason and intent behind making the decision to open the store centered on providing a healthy eating option for everyone.
In the six months they have been open there have been relationships established with some of the “regulars” and it is part of the store’s emphasis on customer service to know all their customers. Promotional work will continue to get the word out to businesses, schools, fitness centers and those using the lake about what Cove Nutrition can do for them and how they can help them to live healthier lives.
Cove Nutrition is located at 1260 Copper Creek Drive.
Stephen Taylor is a Pleasant Hill resident and retired minister.
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