The store is shaded by giant oak and sycamore trees that were planted on the property more than 150 years ago at what was once the 1887-era dairy farm of early Twin Oaks Valley settler Russell Cox. Their products include fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, locally roasted coffee beans, cut flowers, orchid plants and more. Depending on the season, Frey said the spa grows from 30 percent to 70 percent of the produce its guests consume each week, but the rest is supplied by California farms and artisan food-makers, who are also represented at the store.

The open-walled, barnlike store sells a wide variety of Golden Door packaged foods and health and beauty products, as well as produce items grown on its property, like fresh avocados, bags of citrus fruit and bottled olive oil, marmalade and honey. Recognizing the need to support family-run farms and businesses during the pandemic and to connect more deeply with the spa’s North County neighbors, Frey and Van Ness decided to grow the Country Store into a year-round enterprise. Meanwhile, fresh produce and meat shortages in chain supermarkets led consumers to start shopping more at specialty retailers, like butcher shops and farmer-run produce stands. Frey said many of the California specialty farmers he purchased produce from for Golden Door guests were suddenly struggling with the loss of business from closed restaurants and farmers markets. Then came the pandemic, which temporarily shut down the 63-year-old spa and changed America’s shopping habits. It sold excess produce from the spa’s onsite farm, but was only open one or two days a week and only during the summer months.

The store is the brainchild of Golden Door general manager Kathy Van Ness and executive chef Greg Frey Jr., who first launched a small farm stand on the property at 314 Deer Springs Road five years ago.

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