Keeping New Years resolutions to eat healthier food should be made easier by the opening of Ruby Peak Naturals in Enterprise this week.

“It’s a full service natural food store,” said Jane Harshman, who owns the business with husband Matt. The store opened for business on Wednesday and is planning a grand opening on Jan. 21.

Harshman has worked in local health food businesses for the past four years, employed at Winter’s End and Common Good at different times.

Harshman said she had explored a possible purchase of Common Good, and even attempted to negotiate a purchase, but “in the end it was financially the best decision to start my own business.”

A “tipping point” in that decision was an invitation by Dollar Stretcher owner Mike Goss to rent the space formerly occupied by Town and Country Pharmacy at 604 1/2 S. River St., she said. With health food the biggest growing segment of the grocery industry, the proximity of the two food businesses seems to be a good match. “It’s one stop shopping,” she said, noting that glass doors provide access for her customers to Dollar Stretcher.

Jane Harshman is the manager of the business and at present employs Debbie Yarborough part-time. Matt Harshman has been involved in the extensive remodeling of the store and will be present on occasion, but he continues his regular job with Crestview Cable.

She has had past experience with in the natural health field. While the family lived in Ashland, she was a natural birth aide and had a business called Birth Ways, a natural child birth resource center.

During that time she took a number of classes in homeopathic and herbal remedies and is knowledgeable in that area.

Harshman said she has worked extensively with Myron Kirkpatrick of Business Facilitation for the past two years in the quest to own a health food store. “I couldn’t have done it without Myron,” she said. “I consult my business plan every day.”

In addition to the kinds of foods most people associate with health food stores, such as bulk grains, flours, spices and nuts, Harshman said she is also stocking products that people in cities are used to being able to get in the big health food supermarkets there, such as gourmet Italian pasta and pesto products.

There are many products designed for people with wheat and milk allergies. Produce from local producers, such as Little Hill Farms and Back Yard Garden, will be offered.

Microwavable frozen natural meals are available and they will even be heated up on the spot as a courtesy for lunch breaks.

With most of Ruby Peak’s stock on rolling shelving units, the storefront offers space to expand.

For example, Harshman considers the herbal supplement section incomplete until she hears from customers what they want.

Ruby Peak’s hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

“Our special order policy is ‘yes-yes-yes,” Harshman said. “If someone wants something, we’ll get it.”