CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – THE bright yellow building with the orange roof just cannot be missed. It stands out on the Stony Grove Main Road like an NBA player at a toddlers’ party. Not that Mignon Wade would have it any other way.
The owner of the Myrtle’s Healthy Beginnings said the colors were deliberately chosen because she wanted a building that was bright, in keeping with theme of promoting prosperity and good health.
Mignon’s brand of good health is of the organic variety.
Continuing the legacy established by her mother Myrtle Guishard in 1996, Mignon runs a food store that she is proud to proclaim caters to the total well-being of customers.
“It is not only coming for food but we also want to give you a health message. God wants you to prosper and be in good health, so that is really what this is about and you can prosper by being in good health.”
Products include spices and seasonings, sweeteners, nuts and seeds, teas, flours and grains, supplements and internal cleansers.
Mignon told SKNVibes: “We envisage that eventually we will have recipes for the different types of products we sell. Some persons are not familiar with the types of grains. We are into whole grains so we have whole grain products – both flour and the grains which are very nutritious. “
She continued, “We are into inner cleansing. So we sell products that will clean you out. Some people like to be cleansed not only externally but also internally – so we sell products that cleanse you internally, and teas which give you a sense of calm and inner peace. The inner peace, the spiritual dimension and the health dimension is what we strive for.”
While explaining that no animal products are used in her goods, Mignon said the store not only sells dry foods but also baked goods.
“We don’t fry food or use butter, sugar or eggs. We are into health and body care with non-animal products.”
Her products are also suitable for diabetics and persons with hypertension; and doctors have been known to send patients there for products on occasions.
Myrtle also revealed that if a customer requires a particular product which is not in store at the time, she would contact her suppliers and if they have the product in stock then she would get it.
Among her plans is to expand the product range in the near future to include fruits and vegetables.
In keeping with the total body health promotion, Myrtle’s Health Beginnings also has on hand a massage chair which Mignon proudly recommends to anyone who enters the store.
Mignon and her assistant at the supplements shelf
The store was opened at its new location on December 18, 2008. According to Mignon, her mother had closed the store in 2007 after some 11 years of operation at her home.
When Mignon retired last year after 27 years at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, she asked God to show her what to do with her new found extra-time. He pointed her at the health food business where she had gained some experience while working with her mother.
She could not get a spot in Charlestown and had to settle for her current location on the Main Road at Stony Grove. According to Mignon, “Everything fell into place. The mortgage came through; the space was much bigger than I anticipated so I was able to cut off a section and rent it out.”
Mignon explained that the business is not one you can get rich quickly in: “You have to love it.”
“I just wanted to do something that would be a blessing to others,” she said.
