Review: Healthy Rhino

[Billy]

The prices at The Healthy Rhino are quite high (sometimes even double compared to vitacost.com ), and the blonde/tattooed woman who owns and runs it is a VERY strange person... She is constantly running around the store and talking loudly and yet, she is perpetually out of various stock items. Her reply is always, "I've got a huge shipment coming in next week, so stop back in then and it will be here!" I stopped back "next week" several times and the items were still not in stock. Also, she isn't very knowledgeable about natural foods and personal products in general… If someone asks her for advice or an opinion, her response is almost always “I dunno, I’d have to look it up,” with the clear implication that she would rather NOT bother to look it up! I went in again recently, and she was carrying a baby around and shushing and patting it even though it was sound asleep and not even moving! The only reason why she stays open is because there are no other natural food stores in Littleton! This outfit definitely needs some competition!

[Betsy]

Hi Billy. I shop Vitacost too because of this.

I think we need to expand our Littleton Co-op to become like Hunger Mountain.

[Monique]

I hate Healthy Rhino. The store is small, cramped and the prices are sky high. The Co-Op is a much nice setting and they try really hard to get in products you request. I've requested 4 products and they've gotten ALL of them in. There are a few items I still have to order online like natural carpet shampoo, certain specialty supplements and a few other off-beat cleaning supplies. But other than that, I can find or get everything else at the Co-Op.

The thing that really burns me up though about the Healthy Rhino is the owner. From my perspective I am walking into a HEALTH store. I don't want to see someone with a bunch of tattoos and piercings, loud mouth and inconsiderate attitude.

[Shandi]

I go to Luckyvitamin.com and Vitaminshoppe.com depending on where I can find what I'm looking for. I always try Vitaminshoppe first because they have $2.99 Super Saver shipping, but Lucky's has $4.99 shipping no matter how much you order.

[Borosovich]

I am lookink for pet rhinosaurus his name cupcake. I rescue him from KGB. Who has?

[heres mike]

Borosovich wrote:

I am lookink for pet rhinosaurus his name cupcake. I rescue him from KGB. Who has?

lick me.

[Borosovich]

heres mike wrote:

<quoted text>lick me.

I DEMAND YOU GIVE ME NOSE DINASAOUR! WHERE IS THE CUPCAKE??!

[Stephanie]

I'm not thrilled with the Healthy Rhino. Even though there's a lot of stuff crowded on the shelves, it still seems like I have a hard time finding what I need at a DECENT price. One item I was considering buying I happened to find an entire $8 cheaper online. That alone makes it worth paying $5 shipping. Especially if I have more than a few items to buy at a time.

Probiotics, detox, allergy, shampoo\conditioner and goat milk are WAY too high at the Healthy Rhino. The Co-op doesnt carry probiotics or detox items at all, so I have to order them online.

If I have to order those online, I am going to order the rest of it while I'm there....makes sense. Vitacost.com seems to have really good prices on all that.

[KerriAnn]

If anyone's looking for detox and probiotic, check out Luckyvitamin.com

I bought their Floramor 120ct 12 billion ones and they work great. I'm using it in conjunction with Yerba Prima bentonite clay detox also from Lucky's. Very nice. Going to buy again from them!

They have lots of other great products too.

[S Siemenz]

I love LuckyVitamin.com
I can find Burt's Bees items about 3-4 dollars per item cheaper than buying it locally. Same with Yogi tea.$2.89 on Lucky's vs something like $5.49 at the Healthy Rhino.
I don't shop there simply because its just too expensive.

[Sheryl]

I went to the Healthy Rhino recently, and the owner was exactly as Billy described: a manic loudmouth who is totally clueless about her inventory. She and the young cashier with all the piercings were talking with some sleazy people right by the entrance, which gave the place a seedy, fight-your-way-in/fight-your-w ay-out vibe. The Healthy Rhino is the antithesis of the balanced, intellectually elevated atmosphere that I expect when I enter a natural food store. Personally, I was turned off immediately. I'll stick with Vitacost.com and Natural Provisions in St. Johnsbury.

[Auriane]

I shop Vitacost.com all the time

I learned a long time ago that Healthy Rhino wasn't the place to shop. Prices are too high and the atmosphere isn't great. If you know what I mean.....

I hate to feel like I'm supporting somene's "habit". It looks kind of seedy.:-(

[Marie]

Healthy Rhino IS a seedy place as everybody has said, and there's really one reason for it: The owner. Her "in your face" sales techniques often border on bullying, and I know for a fact that her personality has repelled many customers over the years.

[Maria]

The woman with all the piercings and tattoos that owns the store is a complete turn-off for me. I went in this store a total of 3 times and each time I hated it more than the last. The final time, she had a baby in a seat up on the counter when I was waiting to check out. She was more interested in loudly telling the lady in front of me all about it. I thought I was never going to be able to check out. I had a doctor appointment and I almost spoke up because I thought I was going to be late. Luckily the lady ahead of me finished checking out in time.

I gave up on this place. I decided to get all my spices at the Co-Op now. If I need something special, I order it from vitacost.com instead of waiting for the Co-Op to carry it. I will not go back to Healthy Rhino ever again. 3 times of that place was enough for me.

[Miron]

Super high prices. I shopped here one time. I couldn't believe it. Never again. Sorry!

[Sharli]

I've been in the Healthy Rhino numerous times. Every time she's out of stock on something you'd think would be a regular item. As Billy said she tells you it will be in "next week" and then wants you to PRE-PAY for the item and then come back and pick it up. I pre-paid a couple times, but the reciept she gives doesn't show what item you supposedly paid for. Luckily the 2 times I've pre-paid I've never run into a problem. I can see how it would be a huge problem if someone came back in with the receipt to pick up their stuff and it was sold out, or didn't come in and she had to issue a refund. Wouldn't she want to know what the refund is FOR? Seems like a very strange system to me.....Or would she just look at a generic receipt and assume I know what I'm talking about when I told her she owed me money? Not exactly the way I'd do business, but to each his\her own I guess. I think when you combine a lot of "factors", its not a very inviting or consumer friendly place to shop.

[Billy]

Sharli wrote:

I've been in the Healthy Rhino numerous times. Every time she's out of stock on something you'd think would be a regular item. As Billy said she tells you it will be in "next week" and then wants you to PRE-PAY for the item and then come back and pick it up. I pre-paid a couple times, but the reciept she gives doesn't show what item you supposedly paid for. Luckily the 2 times I've pre-paid I've never run into a problem. I can see how it would be a huge problem if someone came back in with the receipt to pick up their stuff and it was sold out, or didn't come in and she had to issue a refund. Wouldn't she want to know what the refund is FOR? Seems like a very strange system to me.....Or would she just look at a generic receipt and assume I know what I'm talking about when I told her she owed me money? Not exactly the way I'd do business, but to each his\her own I guess. I think when you combine a lot of "factors", its not a very inviting or consumer friendly place to shop.

Hi Sharli - Thank you for backing up what I said. Before I started posting on this thread, I actually believed there was something wrong with the way I was reacting to the owner of Healthy Rhino—perhaps that I was being too judgmental of her based solely on my own insecurities and some superficial prejudices that I have. I appreciate everyone coming forward and speaking their minds, and I am hoping (perhaps naively) that the owner will read this thread and consider making some changes. This would involve her having to adjust certain aspects of her personality, so I’m probably being unrealistic. She probably isn't a bad person per se, but she's an undeniably bad businesswoman!

[Sharli]

Billy:

There's nothing wrong with what you're thinking because you're right. Nobody in their right mind would run a business that way.

[Billy]

Maria wrote:

The woman with all the piercings and tattoos that owns the store is a complete turn-off for me. I went in this store a total of 3 times and each time I hated it more than the last. The final time, she had a baby in a seat up on the counter when I was waiting to check out. She was more interested in loudly telling the lady in front of me all about it. I thought I was never going to be able to check out. I had a doctor appointment and I almost spoke up because I thought I was going to be late. Luckily the lady ahead of me finished checking out in time.
I gave up on this place. I decided to get all my spices at the Co-Op now. If I need something special, I order it from vitacost.com instead of waiting for the Co-Op to carry it. I will not go back to Healthy Rhino ever again. 3 times of that place was enough for me.

Your post is the perfect example of how the owner uses that baby to subtly and subliminally excuse herself from serving her customers properly, as though she wants to make her clientele feel ashamed for interrupting her “care” for the kid, who is nearly comatose most of the time. The owner comes across as a very dishonest and untrustworthy person. I have heard stories from people who know her well, but I would never repeat them or post them here!

[AST]

You mean the seedy people hanging around the back room when you're shopping? It allows people to think what they want....Maybe it's correct? Either way, it doesnt look good. The main issue is that people are going to make their own impression based on that, if its correct or not, so its better to avoid it in the first place. But she doesn't, thats why people don't want to shop there.