For decades, Brighter Day Natural Foods has been the go-to health food store in Savannah, but it has taken the green grocer a long time to gain that status.
“When we opened in 1978, natural foods and holistic living was not a part of Savannah’s southern culture,” explains Janie Brodhead, co-owner of Brighter Day. “Downtown was pretty much dead, and a lot of people wouldn’t even shop on our corner.”
Janie and Peter Brodhead were able to grow their business by educating their customers through extensive community outreach. Their contribution to the community is so extensive that Janie is almost at a loss to remember everything that they are involved with.
“When something is such an intrinsic part of your business and what you believe in, it’s hard to remember all of the stuff you do,” Janie laughs.
Much of Brighter Day’s input into the community is financial. On top of sponsoring the Forsyth Park Farmers’ Market every Saturday, Brighter Day has given support to the Savannah Bicycle Campaign and various school fundraisers.
“There is so much we give to,” Janie says. “We pretty much help anyone who asks.”
She also works with the Savannah Urban Garden Alliance, which promotes local organic community gardening.
“While Peter gives lectures and workshops, I dig in the dirt with the kids,” Janie jokes.
Besides teaching workshops on natural medicine and healthy living, Peter Brodhead is most excited about his work with Mercer University and Memorial Hospital. Medical students and physicians at the hospital have been taking Andrew Weil’s online course on alternative medicine.
“It gets them more exposed to options out there in natural medicine, nutritional issues and other aspects of integrated holistic medicine,” Peter explains. Part of Brighter Day’s involvement is paying the tuition of one of the students, since the course is independently funded.
Brighter Day’s other contribution to the program is bringing to Savannah nationally known speakers to give lectures to physicians, as well the general public. Many of the guest speakers are at the top of their fields in medicine. Recently, Brighter Day hosted a lecture by Dr. Michael Murray, author of “The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.”
“He is probably the best-known naturopathic physician in the United States,” Peter says. “His book is one of the best reference tools that we use in helping our customers.”
Brighter Day is proud to have assisted in educating the medical establishment in Savannah, ensuring that there are knowledgeable physicians available to those in the community interested in alternative medicine.
In the coming year, Peter and Janie Brodhead will continue to support great community events, such as Earth Day on April 20. In February, Brighter Day will provide a lecture on heart health.
“In the 35 years we’ve been here, we’re fortunate to be part of the natural foods and medicine movement that’s grown throughout the whole country,” Janie says. “In ’78, tofu was just a weird word — and now it’s just a part of the American diet.”
Brighter Day is open 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday. For more info, visit brighterdayfoods.com.
IF YOU GO
What: Healthy Heart 101 lecture with Peter Brodhead
When: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13
Where: Brighter Day Natural Foods, 1102 Bull St.
Cost: Free
Info: brighterdayfoods.com