Deeply Rooted

New Family-Owned Health Food Store Prioritizes Community
By Dr. Jenny McCormack Walker

photo by shane darby

Sometimes challenges can help a family find its purpose. This was the case for one Texarkana family whose health issues sparked lifestyle changes that ultimately led to the creation of a small business. Back to Roots, a health and wellness market, is a family-owned business that strives to offer options that are not available in larger retail stores.

In 2019, Janvi Patel had some health concerns, and she began assessing how her body reacted to different foods through an elimination diet. Those participating in an elimination diet will forgo all foods that are known to cause allergic reactions and sensitivities—gluten, dairy, and eggs, among others—and then reintroduce those items back into their diet one at a time to test how the body reacts. This allows a person to pinpoint the root cause of health concerns like inflammation, digestion issues, and other challenges. Once she determined which foods she needed to restrict, Janvi and her parents, Minal and Dharmesh, began to pay more attention to ingredients in foods and make swaps to accommodate her dietary needs.

Janvi and Minal became increasingly interested in a holistic approach to wellness. They began listening to podcasts and reading books and articles on the topic. Ultimately, they decided to become certified nutritionists and health coaches through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

“Our family has always tried to eat healthy and not use too many chemicals, but it was never really a huge focus until 2019,” Janvi said. “Over the past six years, our family has completely transformed our lives.”

Pari, Janvi, Minal and Dharmesh Patel submitted photo

As they worked through this transformation, the Patels had a hard time finding a variety of local food options that worked for their healthy lifestyle.

“After years of making Dallas trips to stock up on essentials we couldn’t find in the area and multiple online ordering subscriptions, we were tired and really wished there were more options in town,” Janvi said. “We figured, if we felt this way, others did too. After years of floating the idea around, we decided to be the ones to bring more options.”

Dharmesh has a background in retail, so the family combined his expertise and experience with Janvi and Minal’s passion for wellness into a business that would not only serve their family but also be a resource for other people in Texarkana looking for a variety of food and household options.

Back to Roots offers a large selection of organic, vegan, gluten-free, and non-dairy items, including snacks and pantry staples. They also offer household and hygiene products, described as “low- and non-toxic, and environmentally friendly.” The inventory also includes vitamins and supplements. Janvi said they strive to carry as many local brands and products as they can.

While they cannot provide medical advice to their customers, Janvi said she loves that Back to Roots can help families who need to explore healthier lifestyles. “The most rewarding thing about our job is being able to help people, whether that’s having options in our store that meet their dietary needs, introducing them to new products, helping them find the right supplements for them, or just being able to talk to them about their health issues,” she said. “We get customers daily that thank us for just being here, and we love hearing that because it means we are able to help fill a need.”

Products can only be purchased in-store on Richmond Road. They are a true family-owned and -operated business that is staffed by the family, including Janvi’s sister, Pari, who works when she is home on holiday breaks from college.

In addition to stocking local products as possible, Back to Roots also hosts pop-up shops free of charge for other Texarkana businesses. Janvi said they select one business per Saturday and allow that business to set up in their store for a few hours to promote their products or services. In the past, they have partnered with Better Bits Bakery and Fairy Tale Garden and Farm, among others.

“As a small business ourselves, we want to try to help other small businesses succeed alongside us,” Janvi said. ”Community is important to us, and at the end of the day, without the community’s support, we wouldn’t be here.”