Queen’s Natural Market is a business that promotes a healthy lifestyle. Apparently, resiliency is part of that lifestyle.
Following a short hiatus, Queen’s Natural Market is back better than ever.
Located at 742 Cumberland St., in the heart of Lebanon’s downtown business district, Queen’s Natural Market is a one-stop shop for everything nutritional and organic and sustaining. Locally owned and operated, the business’ reputation as the locale’s hometown health store continues to grow.
“It’s not just another health food store. We offer something different,” said Louisa Guerrisi, who, with her husband Michael, owns and operate Queen’s Natural Market. “We’re trying to provide natural products. I always think of the saying, ‘garbage in, garbage out.’ If we choose to put healthy things into our bodies we can expect better results in the overall quality of life and wellness.
“It depends on your life circumstances,” Guerrisi added. “Sometimes it takes a crisis to make a change and re-evaluate things. People may come to a place where they confront their mortality. It may cause them to think about their choices going forward. I think everybody comes to that point in their lives.”
Queen’s Natural Market peddles healthy foods, a variety of herbs, beauty aids, plant extracts, essential oils, teas, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, sprouting and fermenting supplies, teeth-cleaning products and vitamins. The store also offers its own line of dietary supplements.
“People who have tried our supplements like them and come back for them,” said Guerrisi, a 54-year-old resident of Lebanon. “But we try to source various local and regional products.
“In our culture, people expect convenience and cheap, and that often sends us down a path that’s unhealthy,” continued Guerrisi. “As an example, a hamburger from a fast-food restaurant. For people to think differently, they have to have a commitment to their health. It’s a lifestyle change. It’s a choice.”
The Guerrisies’ Queen’s Natural Market is now about 11 months removed from a business-altering series of events.
The store was closed by “emergency building repairs” for more than a year – from October 2021 to December of 2022. It was a pause that caused the husband-and-wife entrepreneurial team to re-assess their business’ direction.
“Disaster hit at the end of 2021,” said Guerrisi. “It was hard. We could’ve given up. We could’ve closed. But we decided that we had invested too much for too long, so we made the commitment to re-open. We looked at it like, ‘While things are torn up, let’s renovate.’ We were forced to do some things anyway, so let’s change up everything, spruce it up and make it new.
“It was one of those blessings in disguise,” she continued. “We looked at it like an opportunity. We asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to take it to the next level?’ We’d probably have to do it anyway, so let’s re-think it and do it right. We re-invented ourselves.”
Queen’s Natural Market has been back to doing business, but the Guerrisies will look to make it official with a grand re-opening on Saturday, Nov. 25.
“When customers and people know your story it’s a big influence on them wanting to patronize your business,” said Guerrisi, who works full-time at Country Meadows Retirement Community in Hershey. “I think me and my husband complement each other very well. I do the bookkeeping and he’s the super. I’m a complete idiot when it comes to tools and fixing things. My husband’s very talented and did most of the renovations himself. He also has a sales background and is really good with customers. I think we’re a great team. Neither of us could do this without the other.
“I think anyone can be an entrepreneur,” she added. “It’s important to think about what your goals are and to be realistic. Try to be as frugal as you can, try to keep things in line and stay balanced in your approach. With any business, when you start out, you’ve got to get people to know your business is there. Now, it’s hard to find the right outlet to communicate that.”
Louisa and Michael Guerrisi purchased Queen’s Nutritional Products from Joe and Gloria Novak in 2001, before renaming it Queen’s Natural Market. Based in Allentown, Queen’s Nutritional Products operated stores in five locations, including Lebanon, originally in 1982.
“The industry has definitely changed,” said Guerrisi. “It’s shifted to a lot of online sales and that’s a challenge. We can’t compete with Amazon. We’re trying to focus more on our label and unique brands that aren’t as readily available, and also local products. What we have to offer is wide and unique. That’s the direction we’re trying to head. Amazon also doesn’t have a friendly person who can help you find what you’re looking for.
“We never bought this business with intention of becoming millionaires,” she continued. “But at the same time, we’ve got to keep the lights on and cover our expenses. Our number-one goal is to provide a needed service and product line to the community. We’re realistic about it. We’re very frugal. We want to be part of this community.”
That civic-minded nature is also expressed in the Guerrisies’ desire to operate their business downtown. Louisia said that Michael has always had an affinity for downtown Lebanon.
“My husband and I were wanting to invest in our downtown,” said Guerrisi. “We looked at a bunch of different businesses and this kind of hit us right between the eyes. My husband has always loved the downtown and he wanted to be a part of it. My husband always wanted to invest in real estate, and, at the time, there were a lot of businesses open.
“It’s been a labor of love,” she concluded. “We’re happy to be part of the downtown. We’re excited for the way Lebanon is headed. It’s going to be taken to a level that’s very attractive to our community. I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
Queen’s Natural Market is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For additional information about Queen’s Natural Market, go to www.queensnaturalmarket.com.
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