By Trevor Greenway

It’s a snowy Friday morning at the Chelsea Wellness Market, and despite only being open for a week, owners Drez Slezak and Kat Brooks are trying to keep their shelves stocked. 

The two Chelsea residents opened their new shop on Old Chelsea Road on Jan. 29 and have already sold out of one of their popular products: Shilajit, a mineral-rich resin long used in Ayurveda healing.

“It’s an ancient resin that comes from the Himalayas, and it’s super dense in minerals, and people just really go crazy for it,” said co-owner Slezak. “We’re already sold out of this.” 

The market’s two owners and life partners said they hope the early product sell-out is a sign of things to come at Chelsea’s newest and only health food store. Given that Chelsea’s population includes health-conscious skiers, cyclists, joggers, hikers and yogis, Slezak’s and Brooks’ values are likely a good fit for the community.

“We’ve been living here four and a half, five years, and kept having to drive to Ottawa to Healthy Planet,” said Brooks, noting that Wakefield has also had a great health food store for the past 15 years – La Forêt. “We just saw that need in the [Chelsea] community.”

The Chelsea Wellness Market might be small, but it’s mighty in terms of the amount of products that will eventually line the shelves once it fully hits its stride, according to the owners. So far, they’ve only had a soft opening and are continuing to get more and more health-based products. 

Slezak said he wants the Chelsea Wellness Market to be a “one-stop shop” where residents can buy everything from food – local eggs, milk and cheese – to toiletries, like organic and natural toothpaste. 

“We are making sure we have good quality food and snacks, and that’s why we’re getting really high-quality milk, eggs, butter and stuff like that,” added Slezak. “Alternative flours or pasta, sauces – all those different things so you can cook meals. But then there are also eco-natural cleaning products, laundry detergents and supplements, protein powders and vitamins. We will have beauty products like hair and skin products and natural toothbrushes.”

While they aren’t nutritional experts, Slezak and Brooks have wellness backgrounds and run sonic yoga events, sound therapy retreats and ecstatic dance parties. Brooks is also a holistic grief coach. The couple plans to host educational health workshops inside their shop, inviting nutritionists, naturopathic doctors and other practitioners to help people learn more about health products and healthy habits. 

The Chelsea Wellness Market is hosting its grand opening on Feb. 22 from 4–9 p.m. at 183 Old Chelsea Road.