Corner Health Foods in Mundelein, IL

Ok, not every post here is going to be grouching about something. Sometimes I come across an exemplary example of a business that is a gem among many lumps of coal.

Well, a little grouching. Generally, health food stores are among my pet peeves. I’ve become somewhat of a health-nut as I’ve gotten older and this has led me to search for many things that usually can only be found at “health food” or vitamin stores. My opinion of most of them is that they are run by snooty people and are way overpriced. But there are two such stores I’ve found that have reasonable prices. One I’ll talk about another time. The other, which also has a bonus of nice, down to earth proprietors is the Corner Health Food Store in Mundelein, IL.

This is a rarity of an independently owned store that’s not part of a chain. It is a cute little “corner” store at the intersection of Seymour Avenue and Park Street. It began life as a pharmacy surrounded by Abernathy’s Clothing Store which was for almost 60 years a fixture in the village. In 1977 the little shop was converted to a health food store by Barbara (Bonnie) Abernathy who passed away in October 2007. Abernathy’s itself close up shop for good in March of that year. A shoe store named Agony of de Feet now exists there, but Corner Health Food remains where it’s been for 30 years, now owned and operated by Liliana Espinosa.

The store is small compared to many health food stores, but it has a wonderful selection of goods at reasonable prices. I regularly visit to purchase - among other things - fresh banana chips, pumpkin seeds and other natural snacks. The staff is always friendly and informative. Watch out for the little kid running around who I think belongs to the owner.