Country Health closing its doors after 26 years

After 26 years of serving Fallon, Country Health will close its doors Saturday.

Owner Angel Marcellus, certified nutritionist, announced in late October she was retiring. Following an unsuccessful attempt to find a qualified buyer for the business, Marcellus decided to shutter the vitamin and supplement store when her lease expires at the end of the month.

“The store is retiring with me,” Marcellus said.

Country Health was established in 1989 by Marcellus and her late husband Gordon. Following locations on North Maine Street and South Maine Street, the store moved to its current location at 2133 W. Williams Ave. in the Stillwater Shopping Center in 1994.

“We put all our effort into making it go. This has always been a labor of love,” Marcellus said. “It’s an intensive business. I’m basically a bottle wrangler,” she laughed.

Mary Lakin, who has worked at Country Health for more than 15 years, described Marcellus as being very professional and personable.

“She is awesome to work for,” Lakin said. “When you work together for so long, you become like family.”

That sense of family was also shared by another long-time employee Doris Moeller.

“Angel treats her customers like they’re her kids,” Moeller laughed. “She asks questions, does her research and is able to give them the very best help. She’s extremely conscientious and researches everything in the store.”

When her retirement was announced, the staff helped decorate the store both inside and out. Marcellus’ significant other, Robert Stave, even put out a little sign encouraging customers to sit and have one last chat with the sweet-natured, soft-spoken business owner.

“My customers and I are reminiscing,” she said. “I’m getting to know people in a different way. Reminiscing is good for the soul.”

Louise and Chuck Davis, long time customers, stopped by to wish Marcellus luck during a recent visit.

“You’ll be sorely missed,” Louise Davis said. “But everybody is entitled to retire.”

Lakin said she’ll miss the close-knit family feel at the store and interacting with the customers.

“Some of our customers have been coming here for years and years, and I’d sometimes surprise them by remembering what they need,” Lakin said.

“Angel is a great teacher,” Lakin said, adding that she’s learned how to deal with people and gained leadership skills from Marcellus. “I never thought I would be here that long. I just want to thank Angel.”

And although she’s a bit older than Marcellus, Moeller said she also learned from her boss.

“I’ve learned a lot about nutrition, and what works and what doesn’t for different ailments,” Moeller said. “Working with Angel was an absolute pleasure.”

All three ladies said what they’ll miss the most about the store are their customers.

“We’ve made some good friends,” Moeller said. “We’ve got great customers.”

“I’ll miss the diversity of people you meet every day,” Lakin said, adding that she’s even considering studying holistic medicine in the future.

Marcellus said what she won’t miss, however, is having every hour of every day taken. She’s looking forward to traveling and enjoying the freedom that retirement brings.

“I’ve been doing the passion of my life. I’ve been able to make a living doing what I love,” Marcellus said. “It’s so hard to say good bye.”

Marcellus said closing the store has been “an emotional journey” and she confessed to already shedding a few tears. “Fallon has been so good to me. The sweetest people in the universe live here.”

Country Health will hold store-closing sales through Saturday with discounts on everything in the store including vitamins and supplements, live plants, large decorative candles and even the custom-made wooden display shelves.