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Page 11 CHARS booksAmor* WMoreiand Avenue HI Atlanta.Ca.MM7 52*030* FREE CONTACT LENSES Charles Haver, L.M.T. Therapeutic Massage LITTLE FIVE POINTS (404) 524-8221 By appointment only Sevenanda Serves Potpourri of Natural Goodness Whether you are trying to quit smoking or give your favorite pet the healthiest diet, you'll find the natural way to do it in Little 5 Point's grocery store par excellence-Sevananda. Bom as a service by the religious cult Ananda Marga in 1973, Sevanda even today remains true to its Sanskrit name which means "service in bliss." Sevananda incorporated itself and became a community cooperative in 1979, when the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Ananda Marga had to sell the store to the community rather than just closing it. Since then, Sevananda has strived to operate as a business intimately responsive to the needs of the politically and socially progressive communities in Atlanta. Sevananda defines itself as a cooperative, meaning that all of the members are in effect shareholders, and directly control the visionary path of the store through the elected officers and in annual meetings. The benefits of membership in Sevananda go beyond the politically correct, however, and reach deep down into your pocketbook. Ranging from $10 for a single person to $25 for a family of three or more, membership entitles you to a 10% discount. Spending only $10 a month would ensure that a single membership was more than recouped. The application for membership is relatively simple, and the family memberships are "self-defined." You and your lover are just as welcome as Johnny According to Andrew Goldstein, a nutritionist and immediate past president, up to 40 people take advantage of the working member program, which gives the member an additional 10% off in exchange for three hours of work per week. (A hint to the reader, sources say that membership prices may be going up in the very near future.) Best of all, Sevananda is a fun and safe place to shop. Said Goldstein, "We try to make it a place that is as much as the individual members and shoppers can make it." Lesbian/gay couples stroll through the produce aisles, commingling with skateboarders looking for the cold bottled natural juices and mineral waters, and latter- day hippies and yogis searching for spiritually rejuvenating herbs. "What I hear the most, is that people like the energy in Sevananda. They feel good." said Goldstein. "What I like are the organic foods-thc produce and the grains. And I enjoy talking with other people in the (Little 5 Points) community. It's like being in a huge community kitchen, you're intersecting and meeting with people who are doing their shopping. Sevananda is still small enough so that it doesn't overwhelm you." For the curious and the serious, perhaps the most memorable aisles in Sevananda hold the selections of dried herbs and teas. According to Goldstein, it is believed to be the largest selection in the Southeast With names like Buckthorn Bark, Bone-set, and Devil's Claw Powder that are rcminescent of the halcyon days of the Foxfire books, shoppers cannot help but remember their A Feminist Bookstore and more Jeivelrs * records ♦ children's books * cards * t-shirts * journals * buttom Open 7 days a week In Little Five Points with Purchase of Complete Pair of Eyeglasses at Regular Price Daily Wear: CQ4's Litttle 5 Points 484 D. Moreland Ave. 523-3937 PHOTO BY PAMELA J. COLE grandparent's talcs when the closest doctor was often the adjacent field or wooded slope. If you are trying to give up smoking, Sevananda carries ginseng and honcyrose cigarettes to give you the sensation of smoking while suffering through the nicotine withdrawals. For those who disdain the time-honored traditions of herbal poultices, infusions and teas, there is still the selection of non- medicinal teas and potpourri. From the lanky Lapsang Souchang to the ever- popular Red Zinger, Sevananda's selections will drive you into a buying frenzy. Most interesting to me was Mental Clari-Tea, which went down like butter and inspired this article. Of the selection of potpourri, perhaps the most appealing was the one aptly titled Fairies-n-Flowers. Sevananda is a wonderland for those who like to shop, and most specifically those who like to shop for food and cooking gear. The aisles are full of the exotic and the commonplace, with one central impcrative-il must be natural, and it must be good for you. Best of all, it tastes good. -Chris Duncan j The Little 5 Points section covers | the news, events and people of \ this community, gay or straight - | always different, always special •Crystals •Minerals •Fantasy •Crystal Jewelry •Tibetan Bells •Oil Candles •Wind Chimes 1168 Euclid Ave. in Little 5 Points Atlanta, Ga. 30307 (404)522-4605 Mention Our 10th Year Ad in Southern Voice And Receive 10% OFF 10th Year.