Alexandria, VA – Nestled in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center off Fort Hunt Road in Alexandria is Nature’s Nibbles, a local spot for finding all-natural, locally sourced foods and products for you and your pet.
Nature’s Nibbles prides themselves in carefully researching every product they choose to carry and sell in their store. The company, and their products need to meet store owner Chris Gabriel’s standards. For pet food includes all natural, no byproducts, no wheat, soy nor gluten to name some of his criteria. Gabriel and his staff will help you choose the best dog food and supplements for your dog’s needs.
Along with their high-quality pet food, Nature’s Nibbles includes a natural grocer, serving locally grown or made items from the Alexandria area. The store carries local meats from Whiffle Tree Farms in Warrenton, Virginia, locally owned Lost Boy Cider and local breads, dairy products, honey, CBD products, sugar free, organic wines, natural personal hygiene products, and more.
Gabriel wasn’t always in the pet food business, but about 25 years ago he was searching for answers on how to help his 90-pound Shepherd Labrador, Gypsy. Gypsy was suffering from terrible allergies to the point her hair was falling out in clumps. His friend owned a pet store in Arlington, and she taught him about all-natural pet food. Through trial and error and lots of research he eventually left dry food for canned food and then canned food for raw food, and he started seeing improvements in Gypsy right away.
According to Gabriel, pet owners need to feed their pets a mixture of grain as well as grain-free foods. He encourages his customers to switch their formulas and proteins so there isn’t a buildup in the animal’s system, causing problems down the road. “Feeding them a well-balanced diet, between formulas within a company and using different companies” says Gabriel. “Nobody makes the perfect food.” He offers his clients 100% money back guarantee so that they can find something that works. He also encourages pet owners to feed their pets as much fresh food as they can afford.
His friend decided to sell her business and she sent her customers to Gabriel, who with his wife Anne, ventured part-time into selling all-natural dog food. For a year and a half, Gabriel worked full time at PBS during the week, and Saturdays he would deliver pet food all over the DC Metropolitan area.
In 2006 Gabriel opened his first brick and mortar Nature’s Nibbles in Del Ray. For 8 months he worked all day and then ran the store in the evenings. Eventually he decided to quit his job and work full-time at Nature’s Nibbles.
Taking another leap of faith, in August of 2019, he opened his second store in the Hollin Hall Shopping Center in Alexandria. Anne was just recovering from breast cancer treatment, and she had been doing tons of her own research on Eastern and Western philosophies regarding health and the products we put in and around our bodies. This led the two to dedicate the entire front of the new store to selling human products. Pet food delivery services is still a big part of their business. Simply order on their website at naturesnibbles.com. Deliveries happen on Wednesdays and Fridays.
After 16 years, in 2022, Gabriel decided to close the store in Del Ray. He is now open seven days a week at Nature’s Nibbles, 7910 Fort Hunt Road. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
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