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Nature’s Storehouse in Canton: New Owners, Same Mission

August 1, 2023. Canton, N.Y. – Yen and Clark Maine have purchased Nature’s Storehouse, the enduring natural food and supplement business in the heart of Canton, N.Y.

“We are thrilled to share the news of this purchase with everyone in the community who has helped make Nature’s Storehouse such a vibrant, nurturing place,” says Yen Maine. “As the new owners, we are deeply grateful for the incredible legacy that Rainbow, Joshua, and the entire Nature’s team have built over the past two decades.”

For Rainbow and Joshua Crabtree, who purchased the store back in 2002, new owners Yen and Clark Maine are a “natural fit.”

“Joshua and I are excited to pass the baton to Yen and Clark – they are invested in the North Country and committed to working with local farmers and partnering with the community,” says Rainbow Crabtree. “They are already owners of an independent natural products business and understand the value of Nature’s to the community. We are confident they will succeed.” 

Our Story

For the past 21 years, the Crabtrees have steadily grown the business with the help of a dedicated team of employees and loyal support from the community. Beginning their search for the next store owners more than a year ago, they worked with the Center for Businesses in Transition (CBIT) — a program established by the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) in 2018 to retain area businesses — and local CBIT liaisons at the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce to find the right buyers who were genuinely invested in the business' neighborhood presence and its important role in the region. The Crabtrees eventually found their ideal successors in Yen and Clark Maine.

The couple has roots in the North Country and returned to the area in 2022 to build their family and assume leadership roles at their family business, Adirondack Fragrance and Flavor Farm. The company was started in 1979, by Clark's mother, successful local entrepreneur Sandy Maine, who sold her other well-known business SunFeather Natural Soap Company in 2009.

Yen and Clark Maine are working closely with the Crabtrees to ensure a smooth transition. The Maines have no plans for major changes to the business operations or dedicated Nature's Storehouse team other than incremental investments and enhancements as needed. Upcoming events and offers include a Meet the New Owners Day, a Customer Appreciation Week and special discounts.

"We are excited to join the Canton community and committed to upholding the values and traditions that have made Nature's Storehouse so beloved," says Yen Maine. "We look forward to building the store's future together."

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About Nature’s Storehouse

Nature’s Storehouse is a full-service health food store located in the vibrant college town of Canton, N.Y. Founded in 1972 and independently owned and managed, the business and its ownership have remained committed to providing the local community with natural, organic, and local goods for more than 50 years. Located in an historic brick building on Main Street, Nature’s Storehouse is home to wellness practitioners and a retail space selling local produce, dairy, bulk foods, spices and herbs, grocery, supplements, body products, gifts, and house-made take-out. The 2016 recipient of the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Customer Service Excellence Award, Nature’s Storehouse is a mainstay of healthy living in New York’s North Country.

About the Adirondack Fragrance and Flavor Farm

Adirondack Fragrance and Flavor Farm (ADKFF) is a family-owned, women-led, farm-to-home clean fragrance company founded in 1979 by longtime natural perfumer Sandy Maine. Situated in the Adirondack Region of northern New York, the Farm’s mission is to connect people everywhere to the wilderness of Adirondack Forest through its more than 200 natural fragrance products. ADKFF is committed to customer satisfaction, conservation, and community. The company uses all-natural ingredients, unique Adirondack botanicals, and collaborative artisanal processes in the creation of all its products. In 2022, the leadership of the company was passed to Yen and Clark Maine. For more information about the Farm, its story, and its products, visit: www.adkfragrancefarm.com.

Nature’s Storehouse, a community staple in downtown Canton, has new owners, as longtime proprietors Joshua and Rainbow Crabtree sell the natural foods and supplement store to Yen and Clark Maine.

For more information or to interview Rainbow Crabtree or Yen Maine, please contact: Suzanne Smith at 315-212-1278 or pr@natures-storehouse.com.