Pretty excellent place. Came with wife to Grand Opening this morning at 5:30 AM for Grand Opening and to get the free goody bags for first 250 people. We did pick up two goody bags with a nice selection of vegan, gluten free items and were pleasantly surprised by the generosity and variety therein.
The store was crowded when we got in, but we slowly made our way through nearly every inch of the store. Fresh Thyme was very clean and neatly stocked, which is of course to be expected on the first day! The place is huge and the selection is unbeatable. They have two mini aisles of bulk bins where you can get oats, nuts, seeds and snacks, including candy and dried fruit, a huge selection of juice including juice pressed fresh in house, and a giant dairy section with kefir, yogurt, organic milk and just about every milk made from a nut or seed you can imagine. There is a hearty selection of vegan cheeses and also an artisan cheese selection, in addition to a wide variety of fruits and veggies, all of which looked fresh and appetizing. They have frozen foods which include vegan and vegetarian items, including vegan pizza and breakfast burritos, which I've never seen in any grocer. Of course there were lots of snack items; several aisles of popcorn and crackers from every grain source known to man.
On the other side of the store are prepared meals, like mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, pastas, and quiches. They have a huge salad bar with many selections and also an antipasto bar that looked delicious, and a wide selection of bread that was still warm and smelled amazing.
If you're a meat eater, the meat counter looked terrific also. The freshest salmon I've seen for sale anywhere in Michigan and lots of cuts of steak, sausages, ect. The deli also had a large selection of meats and cheeses and huge drums of bulk liquids- aminos, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, apple nectar (vegan substitute for honey) and a canola oil blend, among others. There's also a place to grind your own peanut butter.
One thing that excites me in particular were the eggs- not just cage free, not just organic, but pasture raised! I still want to support local farms but it's nice to know I can get eggs here in a pinch.
There's also a decent selection of personal care products that are naturally sourced and not tested on animals, like body wash, soap, shampoo, ect. and a modest selection of pet food.
The only area I can see that has room for improvement is the wine. The selection is not huge and it's a bit pricey. Probably will stick to the liquor store or Trader Joes for wine. read more