Afghan TradersWholefoods

Since 1994 this Smith Street wholefoods store has been the Centre's source for what the supermarkets do not stock: bulk grains and pulses scooped to order, organic produce, bread and dairy, and a spice wall of more than a hundred varieties weighed out by hand. Locals Clinton Dennison and Marli Banks took it over in 2009 and have kept its bulk-and-organic character while adding an in-store naturopathic clinic and a program of cooking classes and tastings. For vegans, coeliacs and long-haul travellers restocking before the drive out to remote communities, it is the practical answer in Alice Springs, a genuine independent grocer rather than a health-food afterthought. The range runs from personal care to hard-to-find pantry staples, and the counter doubles as an informal advice desk. In a town of limited retail, it has held its ground for three decades.