Scott Roseman came to Santa Cruz in 1977 to attend UCSC. While a student, he joined Our Neighborhood Food Co-op, located on the Westside of Santa Cruz. In the summer of 1984, about three years after he was hired onto the Co-op staff, Scott was diagnosed with leukemia. It took a year to go through the necessary treatment, but towards the end of that year, as the Co-op was floundering, he made an offer to purchase its assets. An agreement was reached that included a process for the store to repurchase Co-op members’ shares through a discount, and on October 20, 1985, the Westside Community Market opened.
The original 3000 sq. ft. store was located on Ingalls Street, in a warehouse building in a mixed residential/light industrial area. With a focus on offering great organic produce and supporting the community, Westside Community Market grew sales. In 1989, Rex Stewart, who had been operating a consulting business for natural foods stores, joined with Scott to begin planning the move and expansion of the business. In May of 1990, Westside Community Market on Ingalls Street closed its doors and three days later, New Leaf Community Markets opened two blocks away on Mission St., more than doubling its size. 19 years later, the store moved back to Ingalls Street, to a new building, three times larger. Now with six stores, Scott and Rex continue to work together and grow New Leaf with innovation, community giving and the best selection of local and organic food on the Central Coast.
read more
show less
1101 Fair Ave., Santa Cruz, CA
+1 831.426.1306