Justin Brotman
Last Friday Healeo Nutrition Bar opened its doors at 15th and Madison. CHS called owner Justin Brotman the ‘Costco hippie of Capitol Hill’ because of his father’s ties to the retailing giant. To see what the buzz was about, I stopped in to check it out. I talked with Brotman about his new business, what makes Healeo unique and the challenge of finding organic coconuts. Have you been to Healeo yet? Add your thoughts to the CHS Reviews Healeo page.
Q: What is Healeo all about?
A: We serve food that’s good for you. Organic drinks, organic teas, organic coffees, organic juices, and most importantly, superfoods.
Q: What are superfoods?
A: Foods which are extremely nutritious for you. Such as; hemp milk, coconut milk, almond milk (all of which we make fresh daily), bee pollen, kahle, flax, goji berries, acai – basically anything that is high in antioxidants. It’s all about the ingredients. We want to make healthy eating easy for you to get and afford. Organic foods need to be in more demand; therefore it will be easier for you to access and live a healthier lifestyle.
Q: Is there anything different Healeo has to offer than other organic food stores or supplement stores?
A: We sell certified organic products made only for Healeo. Having our own supplemental section in our store providing you with all the nutrients you need in pill form. Lots of people question supplements, but the truth is, they are just as healthy for you as any organic food – it is just easier to put into your system. Our supplements are all organic. Also, we have a display of all of our teas so you can interact, smell and see exactly the tea you may want to drink. No other tea stores have this, which makes Healeo different. CHS note: After this interview was posted, Justin Brotman left a comment clarifying his statement about supplements: “What I said was that NOTHING can replace whole foods but it is not practical to eat 10 heads of Kale everyday so you should take supplements.”
Q: What do i need to know about Healeo before I come in?
A: Healeo is all about the organics, plain and simple. We sell raw and vegan food as well, but that’s not our focus. Not all people eat vegan, so we sell non-vegan items as well. Basically, we want to spread the essentials. Our #1 priority is to keep everything at Healeo organic. The only things in our store that aren’t organic are bee-pollen and coconuts – they are just too hard to find completely organic. By keeping our store almost fully organic, we are providing you with food which helps your body absorb nutrients and become healthier.
i wish justin luck. i also fall into the real and whole food camp (that’s little “w” whole). and i’m sorry to say it, but zeebleoop’s characterization of the place as an “organic gnc” sounds spot on. based on the pics and description anyway.
also, the name sounds too much like a Web 2.0 brand.
i’ll be curious to see if this business is sustainiable in a down economy where unemployed people have to decide between the basics like health care and utilities vs goji berries (whatever those are ;)
Man you guys are cranky!
I’m hoping Healeo becomes my smoothie provider in the ‘hood (though Kaladi can hook you up, too) though, yeah, I’ll probably pass on the bee pollen.
I don’t mean to be overly cranky, but I have to take issue with this quote:
“Also, we have a display of all of our teas so you can interact, smell and see exactly the tea you may want to drink. No other tea stores have this, which makes Healeo different.”
Anyone been to Remedy on 15th? And maybe examined the little test tubes they have clipped to the walls..?
I do think freshly made almond milk sounds pretty tasty, though. Ah, well.
When I went in the other day I felt like Healeo couldn’t quite decide what it wanted to be. There were the multivitamins, the healthy snacks, the teas, and the barista bar. It was sunny and very cheerful and everyone was exceedingly helpful, but it didn’t seem to provide much beyond what Madison Market and Remedy Teas already offer. Unless they flesh out their character more than they have now, I don’t hold out much hope for long-term success.
(I have to say though, their loose leaf black tea is really amazing)
i wouldn’t characterize my comments as cranky (though i have been lovingly described as a curmudgeon) but more along the lines of realistic.
studies have shown that supplements have little impact on a person’s health and that eating a diet of whole foods is better for getting proper nutrition. as someone owning a health food store called healeo mr. brotman should be aware of this.
if he wanted to sell all natural, low-fat, organic smoothies using whole fruits and vegetables, supplying vitamins, minerals and antioxidants naturally and say, “these are good for you,” i wouldn’t have a problem. i just think business owners should be careful of the claims they make regarding their store’s merchandise.
I 100% support zeebleoop’s comments on both business claims and nutritional info. There is nothing that bothers me more than people making grand claims with nothing to back it up, and businesses claiming to be or provide something they are not. I don’t think it is cranky at all to argue the claims made by Mr. Brotman… I am glad somebody said it and said it better than I could.
I live in The Pearl Apartments above where Healeo is located. I just went down to finally check it out and I ordered some of their vegan ice cream topped with fresh strawberries and raw chocolate….
It’s delicious!! I’m not a vegan or even a vegetarian, but it’s really tasty! I’m sure I’ll buy this as a healthier subsitute to satisfy my ice cream cravings.
I don’t see anything ‘cranky’ about zeebleoops comment either, seems to me like a completely rational counterpoint to Brotmans claims. it certainly doesn’t warrant being hidden “below viewing threshold.”
Im Justin from Healeo and just needed to clear up my quote. What I said was that NOTHING can replace whole foods but it is not practical to eat 10 heads of Kale everyday so you should take supplements. I think my words got twisted a bit.
Thanks!
OK, now I feel very bad for poking fun. But I did think it was funny to read the first two comments early this morning. Not sure I like how the system is currently tuned — the comment does not deserve to be below threshold. Need to make a few tweaks for future. Not sure anything but thumbs-ups can bring it back.
Sorry for any confusion if we made an error. Happy to amend the above with your clarification.
what with having a milk-allergic kid, hearing that they have vegan ice-cream perked my interest. will have to try :)
there… less cranky?
Been following this story for a few months and am convinced the haters of the hill will not give this poor guy a chance. What a shame because the store is great and a welcome addition to the neighborhood. I wish my fellow residents would fight the urge to dislike everything.
Healeo rocks, and Justin is really super nice. I live two blocks from the place, which is a dangerous proximity considering how yummy their smoothies and juices are.
I don’t know, I think its kind of sad that there isn’t anywhere to get a decent smoothie in Seattle that isn’t full of fake apple sugar powder or worse. I’m happy to try this place out and hope they make it.
Get over yourselves, go order some chocolate hemp frozen yogurt and support a local business before they get replaced by another Athlete’s Foot.
I’m visiting from out of town and stopped for a delicious smoothie! People were very friendly and the service was great. I like the design and music as well. They’ve only been open for a few months and I hope they’re here for my next visit to Seattle.