The Sawall Health Foods Story

The concept of Sawall's Health Foods began with its founder, Frank A. Sawall, a bio-chemist from Detroit, Michigan, selling powdered mineral drinks door-to-door. Frank A. Sawall, who earlier worked with John Harvey Kellogg, lectured extensively across the Midwest and the East Coast on the benefits of vitamin and mineral supplements during his lifetime. He opened the Sawall's Health Food Products Inc. in 1936 and is the oldest family-owned natural foods store in the United States. Frank A. Sawall and his son, Gordon, expanded the business throughout Michigan, including Detroit, Kalamazoo, Bay City, Grand Rapids and Lansing in the 1940s and 1950s, creating the first health foods store chain in the country. In 1979, Frank's grandson Robert and his wife Linda carried on the legacy and Sawall Health Foods is now in its fourth generation with Frank's great-grandson Mark also running the business.

Add in the Grosse Pointe News, Jun 1947