Real Food Market & Deli — Local services in Helena

With an elitist store owner that looks down on anyone that is not within his social circle and forms opinions and stereotypes everyone, the Real Food Market & Deli is a tough place to work. The upper echelons of leadership in this store as a whole is unorganized and completely unprofessional. As a capitalist, non co-op organization, only set out to make money, it is hard to gain the owner's approval unless you are already "in" with them. Tried and tested ideas that work and are taught as basic business practices all across the country are thrown right out the window here. Original ideas or suggestions are not considered. As a former employee it's very much "his house, his rules". Employee treatment is very state and federal minimum with no healthcare or retirement plan that is officially recognized. Store policies are lax, with a lot of grey areas. Employees that follow these policies are still reprimanded from time to time because the translation of these policies are up to Laughing Water's discretion. The prices are most often double what you would pay at any other health food store and with the only leverage being bulk bin items (which is a current health concern for many), and a full meat department, there is not much stock in this store's success. For the most part, socially, this store has employed great people and generally the customer service is slightly above average. Albeit not very efficient when it comes to timely or quality service, it's almost always service with a smile. As a former employee with a year and a half at this store, employment and patronage at the Real Food Market & Deli is a toss up. For those that personally know the management or have been shopping there for decades it is a great place, but for those that are looking for a quality natural food store to work/shop...

I LOVE their salad bar/deli. It's a great place all around.. Had a truly disheartening experience with an associate named Julie awhile back. We shared the same name(Julie)and mentioning this offhandedly while asking for direction to the stores Primrose oil, this person looked at me like I had literally offended her by having the same name..Or mentioning it? I couldn't tell you but she was visibly agitated! Then there was the product I was wanting. She begrudgingly marched me to supplement isle.. I told her that I was looking for the small bottle of topical oil,, not ingesting it.. She said to me "Ive never even seen that before" with the blatant inflection that I was making this up just to anger her! I attempted to tell her that I've purchased and repurchased this item here for years, but that the small fridge it was kept in was no longer there and had it been moved!?? But I was unable to get past "purchased and repurchased here" when I was interrupted with ..." Then you should know where it is?". I left the store immediately and have not been back. Nor have I been for months. Sadly. But oh how I've missed the salad bar and the OTHER friendly faced employees that know me.

I should have told someone when it happened but I am so fully non confrontational ....

Avoid an employee named Julie and you'll wish you had discovered this gem...

Had a very bad experience in the vitamin and supplement section of the store. Female, Julie I think, I first had to chase down. She was on her phone and when I asked her to assist me, she was rude...acting as if I was interrupting her day. I asked her about basic one a day vitamins and she then acted as if this question was beneath her. I moved on to a specific root I had heard about that helped stiff joints and again... she acted like those employees at the Good Food Store in Missoula. Trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, I asked her about the deli. I thought I’d grab something to eat. I asked Julie what she liked at the deli (her favorite sandwich) and she AGAIN, acted as if she was too busy to answer my basic questions. I will Not step foot in the store until she’s gone. I will be telling all of my associates on FB and...