Mrs Nash must be a mom who is very proud of her son. At 22, in 1987, Scott Nash launched a business selling organic produce with $100. That's about what you can dish out on a single shopping trip to Whole Foods. Called back then Organic Foods Express, it started as a mail order and home delivery enterprise operating out of his mother's garage in Beltsville, MD. It didn't take long before he had to rent a 900 square foot warehouse. Then in 1989, OFE moved to Rockville and a 2000 foot outlet also open to the public. It was such a success as a retail market that Nash eventually closed down the delivery and mail order side and focused on selling organic produce at the lowest prices possible.

By 1996, OFE was such a success that Nash needed to expand further. After a six months' closing, OFE reopened in a 6000 square foot location and renamed itself MOM's - Mom's Organic Market. Good for Nash to acknowledge his mom in his success and good that his success has led to such growth. Now he has six locations around the District and expects to open more.

What's also great about them is they're not sited in high end areas. The branch in Del Ray, a part of Alexandria, is in a depressed area designated an 'Enterprise Zone' and the second one he opened is in College Park, a part of Prince George's County where doubters said a Mom's could never work. Now it generates more revenue per foot than any of his other stores.

Two years later, OFE moved its location to a 2,000 square foot space in Rockville, MD with the intent of opening a retail outlet.  Initially, OFE opened Friday through Sunday to the public while conducting home deliveries and mail order Monday through Thursday.

Eventually, as the retail aspect of OFE increased, the delivery/mail order was phased out.  OFE opened to the public seven days a week for retail sales.  Our niche then, as it is today, was high quality organic produce, discount prices, and exceptional customer service.

In 1996, after being closed for six months to prepare for expansion, Organic Foods Express reopened as MOM‘s in a 6,000 square foot location in Rockville within a half-mile of the previous location.

In 1998, after annual revenue increases of more then 50% (generated solely from word-of-mouth referrals), MOM‘s doubled its size by expanding into the adjacent vacant space.

In August, 2000, MOM‘s - College Park opened.  While searching for this 2nd location, many real estate "experts" suggested that a MOM‘s in College Park (Prince George‘s County) would never work.  Being just 2 miles from Scott‘s childhood home, he knew the area well and was not deterred.  Within 2 years of opening the College Park MOM‘s, it now grosses more revenue per foot than any other MOM‘s location.

Mom's Organic Market, 6824 Race Track Rd, Bowie MD, 240 556 1700; 5273 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick MD, 240 566 1444; 7351 Assateague Dr #190, Jessup MD, 410 799 2175; 11711B Parklawn Dr, Rockville MD,301 816 4944; 9827 Rhode Island Ave, College Park MD, 301 220 1100; 3831 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria VA, 703 535 5980.

1 Comment

1. Little Red

   I don't live near one of these MOM stores but there is the teeny-tiny Maple Avenue Market in Vienna, VA that sounds similar.