Mick's Nuts. A West End institution. I mean, lots of the things you can get at Mick's Nuts you can…read moreget anywhere but you just don't want to. It would mean missing out on cramming into a tiny space and making yourself as inobtrusive and as small as you can be while the staff dance and weave around you getting orders. It would mean you'd have to get things for yourself, rather than have the ever lovely experience of someone coming up to you and asking for your order, then finding and perfectly measuring out your desired quantities and returning them to you without you having to move an inch if you don't want to. It would mean you probably wouldn't casually peruse the ceiling high shelves of goods they have to sell. From end to end on each and every shelf are big, clear bags and jars of bulk goods, all there for you to explore. Whereas sometimes in a supermarket, variety can be too much, in Mick's Nuts, the variety is liberating. At Coles, you will agonise over whether to buy the homebrand diced tomatoes for 92c or to buy another commercial brand of diced tomatoes for $2.95. At Mick's Nuts, you will get excited over seemingly endless possibilities of flours, or dried fruits, and having the option to choose between commercial, local and organic. Dried organic mangos, anyone? The service is always kind and lovely, and even if it takes some time to get everything on your shopping list, it is absolutely worth the wait. You don't get service like this anywhere anymore. It's as rustic and as special an experience as having the gas boy come up to the window of your car and asking how much gas you'd like, maam. Do it. Transport yourself back to a slower, more patient, and easier time. Go to Mick's Nut Shop today.

Absolutely LOVED this place…read more It changed hands & it was my first visit back since the new owners took over. Wasn't too happy when the new owner was closing & I asked if I could get some items. He obliged, but his attitude left ALOT to be desired. I know how much I spend here - even if it's only when I visit Brisbane - which may be less than once a year. Great that they accept credit cards now & can order online. But due to the initial exchange, it's definitely off my list of must do's whilst in Brisbane.

Marcia's on Montague had always been a solid and reliable 'go-to' for kitchenware and then they…read moreopened a little sister business, Organics at Marcia's. This past weekend was the first opportunity I'd had to explore the latest addition to the Marcia's family and whattya know I was a pig in mud. Or as the case may be, a health food store lover in smug trolley heaven. There's fresh organic produce, bulk bins filled with quinoa, rice flakes, trail mix and that kind of jazz (BYO jars or use their paper bags provided), cosmetics, baby products and loose-leaf teas. If you've just been to the West End Markets, a stop here will round out your weekly shop with a few pantry staples. With a boyfriend dragging his feet, my first visit was brief with only some dried apple and WotNot face cleaning towels for an upcoming trip purchased, but knowing the range available this one is going straight into my regular stops!

I met two wonderful ladies running this organic store, a mother-daughter team. How knowledgeable,…read morefriendly and helpful they are with whatever you're looking for organic and good for you. Give them a try! Jenn from Kauai.

It's a rare thing to find a retail shop, let alone a health food store open late during the week…read more Go Vita in West End is open until 6:30pm weekdays and 8pm on Thursday! They are open until 5pm on Saturday too, but are closed on Sundays. They have an in-store naturopath, Leanne, who is available for consultations (by appointment only) on Tuesday and Friday. Initial consultation fees are $95 and run for 1-1.5 hours. Follow up visits are $55 for 30 mins or $75 for extended visits. They also have a staff member who specialises in Homeopathy. Go Vita has a membership program. You can sign up for free in store and your membership card gets you lots of discounts and offers. Go Vita West End is the stockist for many specialised health products including Essenzza ear candles, Carolina Skin Care (which relieves and treats eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis), La Mav organic skin care products and Coconut Magic Coconut Oil.

Here's a story. I burnt my arm badly (BADLY) and despite many visits to chemists to apply all…read moresorts of creams and potions it wouldn't heal and just festered away (sorry for the oversharing!) Finally I went into the lovely ladies at Go Vita and the young naturopath suggested Calendula cream and to take Turmeric capsules. My burn made a miraculous recovery. No mainstream "potion" could have had this result. Great advice! Recently I've returned about Qs about sugar free living and recovering from a virus. Again, good sound sensible advice. Make sure you sign up to be a member of the store to get 10% off some products. Go Vita has a huge range of products (although I think their prices are a little steep) but I go for the advice and the accompanying products that go with this advice.

Great eco store. Such a great concept to minimize the impact on the environment. Feel great…read moreshopping here.

Isn't it lovely to shop in stores with a conscience? Biome certainly makes it easy with its array…read moreof gorgeous gifts, cosmetics, magazines, stationery and other green fun! I've been shopping there for around a year and it never fails me if I'm looking for something a little bit special with the guarantee that it's made with the Earth in mind. From the choose-your-own-colour Keep Cups to the beautiful giftware from Paper Boat Press, this store is teaming with gorgeous gifts and home wares. Even if the receiver is not hugely "eco" it's always nice to know you have purchased something that's helping the environment. The store in the CBD is big and friendly and the staff have always been more than happy to answer any questions I have for them. I've also utilised their website many times for tips to save energy and water around the house. If you tend to get the guilts about consuming and harming the environment, then Biome can certainly help. Not only that, it's a lovely shopping experience and has a good turnover of stock so there's always something new to look at.

What's up with the service here? I avoid this place like the plague simply because I refuse to walk…read moreinto a store where I'm going to be either ignored, growled at or dismissed by one of the staff. You would think that people employed to work at a store that promotes healthy, principled, community minded living would reflect some of these characters- not at the Green Grocer. I distinctly get the feeling that I'm burdening them when I walk in to purchase something from their store. "Oh I'm sorry, you interrupted my doing nothing. How dare you." HOW DARE YOU, Green Grocer girl. How dare YOU. It is a good store to get things like moon calendars, healthy snacks, natural supplements, seeds, remedies and cure alls. The products are great. The Green Grocer is unique in that it's one of the only stores of it's kind in the area. The Green Grocer is actually a great shop, it's just a shame that it's staffed with people who don't seem to give a damn about anything.

I do like having a shop like the Green Grocer handy for those times when I'm chasing some obscure…read moreingredient that can only be found in a health food store. However, I struggle to see how the place stays alive. It has a shabby, unkempt feel to it and there's not a time I've been in there when I've received overly friendly service. The vibe is that they couldn't care less whether customers came in or not. This said, they stock a small but good range of organic dairy products, including the lovely Barambah; pre-packaged Sol Bread; a good range of herbal and organic tea; plus quite a few things in bulk bins. All in all, a well-located store that could do with a bit of fresh life brought to it. Note: $5 EFTPOS minimum.

Awesome customer service and really quick delivery. Helped me straight away with an issue from…read moresuppliers and replaced the items promptly. Great value for money and would highly recommend

Ada Street is the best place to go if you're wanting to beef up and impress the girls or perhaps…read morejust look less like one. They stock the best brands in bodybuilding and sports supplements and have experience and know-how to help you use them. They're also one of the cheapest places to get them in Brisbane with heavily discounted prices. Hiding in a back street in Toowong, one of the helpful are always willing to give you the advice you need and choose what's right for you. It's not just for the boys either, with plenty of weight-loss, fat burning and detox products.

I was feeling rather adventurous so I decided to pay a visit to Happy High Herbs while passing…read morethrough West End. The interior is pretty much as one would expect: a combination of new-age funk and downtown grunge. The employees seemed accustomed to groups such as my own coming in to gawk and admire the stores unconventional nature. With a name like Happy High Herbs I couldn't help but look at every object with a feeling of excitement and suspicion. "What will do the job", I thought to myself as I inspected the packets of mysterious herbal powders that hung from the walls. I inspected a bowl of lollipops for a long period of time wondering if they were more then just your standard lollipop. Slowly I began to understand how this store works. It doesn't take a genius to realize that the "popular" products were selling out or there were simply none left to be had. One such example is the powdered wormwood used to create absinthe. I chuckled to myself imagining hundreds of Brisbanites bootlegging absinthe from their bathtubs at home. I'll admit, I was a little too shy to ask directly "which products will make me happy and high" and I also wasn't sure if I was actually interested in buying anything. With this in mind, for those of you who mean business shopping at Happy High Herbs I urge to either ask for assistance from the shopkeepers or to ask some friends what you should be looking for. Don't assume you'll jut know.

You can't help but notice that this unusual shop is here, mostly because when you see the words…read more'Happy Herb Shop' along with noticeably colourful decor your curiosity as to what's inside is involuntarily piqued. The combination of these characteristics also makes me feel like I should be sneaking in to the store unseen, but luckily there's nothing to be frowned upon (or to make you frown) in this place. In case you haven't figured from the name, these guys are the herb specialists, offering herbal solutions to pretty much any problem you may have. Their herbs come in a variety of forms; teas, skin care and I assume some are smokable. It's a small shop but the space is used well and it's full of hundreds of little bags featuring different mixtures of things grown in the earth designed to help you achieve a desired effect; detox, better sleep, laughter. It's certainly interesting and worth a visit.