Power Over Flour Gluten-Free Market starts year off with new owner

Less than four months ago, Heather Sauls was a happy-go-lucky 22-year-old.

She was debt-free and the manager of Claremont’s Power Over Flour Gluten-Free Market. She didn’t give much thought to having a long-term plan.

Then the Gluten-Free Market’s owner dropped a bomb-shell.

“She said she was putting the business up for sale and if she couldn’t find a buyer by December she was going to close,” Sauls said. “My first thought was, ‘oh no, I’m out of a job.”‘

When the initial shock wore off Sauls long-term goal fell in her lap.

“I decided to try and buy the business,” Sauls said. “I put together an offer and they accepted it.”

After several successful business negotiations with the property’s landlord and the bank, Power Over Flour Gluten-Free Market started off the new year with a new owner.

Sauls is still digesting how far she’s come in a relatively short amount of time and smiles slyly when she recounts how her journey started.

“I started out as just a customer and I signed up for their newsletter,” she said.

But actually, Sauls’ story started several years before when she was diagnosed with celiac disease, a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food.

According to digestive.niddk.nih.gov, those who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley.

Sauls is the third generation of her family to have celiac. Her symptoms included several stomach-related issues, insomnia and migraine headaches.

“I was sick all the time,” she said.

Symptom relief came with a modified diet eliminating gluten.

“All I ever ate was chicken, rice and vegetables, I felt better, but it got boring,” she said. “I found this store and it was amazing. I hadn’t had a cookie or a piece of bread in months.”

The store offers many popular foods such as bread, pasta, chips, cereal, sauces, dressings, baking mixes and sweets in their gluten-free form.

Each item is also marked for other common allergens such as: corn-free, egg-free, nut-free, casein-free and soy-free.

Sauls answered an ad in the Power Over Flour newsletter and was hired on as an associate, soon working her way up to store manager.

“I’ve learned so much working here,” she said. “I used to just know that gluten made me sick, but I didn’t know why.”

Gluten is not easily absorbed and inflames the lower intestine for those with celiac or who have an intolerance to the protein.

Sauls and her employees all have various levels of gluten intolerance and are eager to assist and educate customers. The store also carries several books on gluten-free living and cooking.

“We are always talking to suppliers and bakers and sampling products,” she said. “This is the first time in my life that I’m having a good relationship with food and I want to help others do the same.”

Reach Diana via email, or call her at 909-483-9381.

Get the latest local business updates on Twitter @InlandBizz.

Gluten free Recipes with Bill & Sheila

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