Date: Fri 24-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

General-Nutrition-Center-GNC

Full Text:

Nutrition Center Opens In Sand Hill Plaza

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Gabriel Cuda moved to Newtown three years ago and quickly fell in love with

the town. But he noticed that something was missing.

"There wasn't a General Nutrition Center between Trumbull and Danbury," he

said. "I thought Newtown would be a great location - there's a lot of

opportunity here."

So Mr Cuda, a former Milford resident who has owned and operated a number of

area businesses since 1976, and Bridget Mulready, a former manager of the GNC

store in Trumbull, opened a GNC in the Sand Hill Plaza in November. The store

will have a grand opening celebration January 31 through February 4.

The first General Nutrition Center was founded in Pittsburgh, Penn., as

Lackzoon Yogurt in 1935. At the time, vitamins, health foods and even yogurt

were considered rather strange. But the business prospered on the novel idea

that eating healthier foods and supplementing the diet could help people lead

better lives.

At that time there were few manufacturers of vitamins and health foods. So the

company opted to make its specialty products under its own brand names.

During the decades that followed, the business name changed to General

Nutrition Center and now includes 2,000 stores in 50 states and 16 countries.

But it steadfastly continued to promote the link between good nutrition,

exercise, prevention and healthy alternatives as a way to improve anyone's

quality of life.

Today the stores offer vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathics, diet/energy

products, sports nutrition supplements, natural cosmetics, books, magazines

and healthy snacks. The larger company-owned stores also sell fitness

equipment and apparel.

The Newtown GNC is a franchise store, occupying about 1,800 square feet. Mr

Cuda is also opening GNC stores in Southbury (in the shopping center which is

being constructed on Main Street South, in the former "Pumpkin Patch"), in

Shelton, and on the Post Road in Orange.

His interest was originally sparked by the burgeoning health and fitness

movement in the United States.

"Everyone should take vitamins because we don't get enough from the food we

eat," he explained. "The soil has become depleted, there are toxins in the

air. Everyone seems to be under stress and nobody really eats three meals a

day anymore."

With the high cost of medical treatment today, consumers are looking more to

prevention and alternatives like homeopathic products to keep them in better

health, Mr Cuda said.

Although GNC also sells other major brand-name products, the GNC brand is

popular because it is available nationally.

"If you run out of your multi-vitamin while you are traveling, you can get the

same one at any GNC store," Ms Mulready said. "There's a 100 percent

satisfaction guarantee - you get your money back, no questions asked, if you

aren't satisfied."

"Our quality leadership is reflected in our truth-in-labeling policy," she

said. "Although it isn't required under federal law, GNC prints a product

expiration date on the label and guarantees full potency. The labels also

fully disclose all ingredients used in each supplement and lists common

allergens which are not in the formulations.

"This is a real convenience for customers on restrictive diets or who have

food sensitivities," she said.

GNC also participates in TruLabel, the health and nutrition industry's

independent testing program which subjects products to laboratory analysis to

confirm label claims.

Consumers can join the GNC Gold Card Program, which provides a 20 percent

savings each month on a wide variety of GNC products. Free copies of Let's

Live magazine are also mailed to members monthly.

"People can use our information center at no charge," Mr Cuda said. "We

encourage them to bring in what they are using at home, so we can see where

they may be lacking. We encourage them to ask questions."

Despite its quiet opening, the new GNC store did very well during the

holidays; many people purchased the products as gifts and stocking-stuffers,

Ms Mulready said. And she expects them to be repeat customers.

"When you start taking vitamins and supplements - and take them faithfully -

you'll want to continue because you'll feel so much better," she said.

GNC is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 9 pm, Saturday from 10 to 6

and Sunday from noon to 6 pm. For more information, call 426-2084.