Kindred Market is the kind of grocery store you wish your college town had but not every one of…read morethem does. Fortunately interest in healthy, diverse, organic products with a heavy emphasis on local and sustainable has found a niche here in Athens, home of Ohio University. You can get high quality essentials here and will pay for the local Snowville milk or Shagbark corn chips or Frog Ranch Salsa - all local companies that are building out and selling beyond local. You can also get a crazy selection of mushrooms because a local kid has really perfected the art of growing them here in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in southeastern Ohio. The beer selection is well tended and leans into the rich ecosystem that is Athens and Ohio brewing (hit Jackie O's, Little Fish, Devil's Kettle, and West End while you pass through). Extras are some cool prepared food and two inside and three or four covered outside tables. Usually three soups to choose from and not just prepared sandwiches and salads but some wicked creative local desserts that I have always admired but not succumbed to. They also feature local artists in pottery, leather, ceramics, hand crafted paper products, candles. Look for the S.M. initials for my neighbor's pottery or M.H. for my colleague's pottery. Lucky to have friends with talent. Finally, if you want the healthy, natural soaps, lotions, bug repellants, vitamins etc, they've got that too. I buy shampoo bars there with minimal packaging and they work great while keeping plastic out of the landfill. Finally, you can get a member number and earn small credits that are always a pleasant surprise to deduct at checkout. Cardboard boxes are available to pack up if you forget your reusable bags.
