Fondo FOO - York Health Food Store

The Health Food Store was originally called Wylie, Barr & Ross and was managed by Laura E Haw. It first opened in 1938 at 8 Gillygate. It is believed to be the first health food store in York. It is first listed in the York Directories in 1939. Laura Haw married James Tarrant in 1950 , and they continued to run the shop together. After Laura's death , James Tarrant continued to run the shop until it closed in 1986. The store is listed in Trade Directories under various descriptions - a 'health food store', a 'vegetarian store' and a 'retail grocers'. It remained on Gillygate until c1956/1957, when it moved to 11 Davygate. It moved again to 1Blake Street in February 1968, taking over the premises previously occupied by W. Kettlestring, grocer & florist. The store closed in around August 1986. The premises was purchased by Mannion & Co., grocers. Mannion's were fruit and vegetable specialists, and the family had traded on York market for more than 70 years by 1986 (c1916). Mannion's still occupy the premises today, but it operates as an upmarket deli/café.