A small cart topped with fresh herbs greets customers just inside of The Cornucopia in San Marcos. Behind them, rows of natural supplements fill the first aisle. Further inside, natural grocery items, specialty foods, body care and handmade goods round out the small but robust shop.

The Cornucopia has been providing natural foods and supplements to San Marcos for more than 30 years—16 of which have been under co-owners David and Dan Davis.

David had worked in nutrition for Whole Foods for 15 years and was working as a vitamins sales representative when he found out The Cornucopia was for sale in the early 2000s. He reached out to his twin brother, Dan, who had worked for Whole Foods in produce, and the two went into business.

“We have over 30 years of experience in natural foods,” Dan said. “We offer education and expertise to our customers. We have the firsthand experience to know what works.”

As a rare natural foods store in San Marcos, Dan said they have learned to compete with bigger grocery stores and online shopping.

“We try to be a one-stop-shop as much as possible,” he said. “If customers request a product, we can get it in faster than a bigger store that has more red tape to go through.”

The store offers rewards programs and discounts, as well as special orders. Davis said they keep fresh produce available as well, composting whatever is not sold.

For regular customers at The Cornucopia, it is easy to begin to recognize the staff. There are just six employees, and Davis said there has been very little turnover. “We all love it here,” he said.

Davis said either he or his brother are almost always working at the shop.

“Being a smaller store, we can give people our time and attention,” he said. “We’ve seen families grow up here. You can’t help but call a customer by their name after 16 years.”

The Cornucopia
1104 Thorpe Lane, Ste. J, San Marcos
512-353-5044
www.smcornucopia.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.