Health Food Stores

 

Address: 8 Gillygate, YO31 7EQ (now No.8 Bistro)

 

Description

Discover a unique sloping rectangular mosaic at the shop’s entrance featuring a white background encased in red and black borders.

 

“Health Food Stores” proudly stands in block capitals at the centre, with a white Yorkshire rose adorning each bottom corner.

 

 

History

Step into the pioneering spirit of York’s very first health food store, a venture that sprang to life in 1938 under the careful management of Laura Haw.

 

Initially known as Wylie, Barr & Ross, this trailblazer made its home at 8 Gillygate and marked a new chapter in the city’s dietary history.

 

 

Its shelves were a testament to its diversity, offering everything from international delights and vegetarian staples to local sweets, alternative medicines, and herbal cosmetics.

 

Though its journey saw it relocate first to 11 Davygate in 1956 and then to 1 Blake Street in 1968—the essence of the Health Food Store remained unchanged.

 

Until its doors closed in August 1986, it was a beacon of wellness in York.

 

 

Today, where once stood jars of herbal remedies and shelves of health foods, now resides No.8 Bistro, an upmarket café, continuing the tradition of serving the community, albeit in a different form.

 

The legacy of the York Health Food Store lives on, a cherished chapter in the city’s vibrant tapestry.

 

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