NORMAL - The former Jewel-Osco building in east Normal could be two-thirds full this spring with the addition of a new grocery store.

Naturally Yours Grocery, an organic and all-natural grocery and vitamin store in Peoria, plans to open its second location in a 14,000-square-foot portion of the old Jewel-Osco at 1503 E. College Ave. in Normal. The company will aim for an April opening, General Manager Roger Hutchinson said Thursday.

"We've seen a real growth in the industry. … You have a community, we feel, that lends itself well to a natural and organic food style," Hutchinson said.

The $1 million-plus remodeling project means another business will add new life to a development that had been largely empty for more than two years. The 51,000-square-foot anchor of the College Hills Plaza had been vacant since Jewel-Osco moved to 2103 N. Veterans Parkway in January 2005, but The Campus Paul Mitchell Partner School filled 20,000 square feet on the west side of the building when it started cosmetology and skin classes this fall.

Naturally Yours, on the east side of the building, has yet to seek a building permit, but the town of Normal would welcome the addition of the grocery store at the location off of one of its major thoroughfares, said town planner Mercy Davison.

"The town is looking forward to that space being utilized," Davison said.

The 17-year-old Peoria grocery store was founded by the late Dr. Stephen Elsasser. His wife, Lona Hudson, now owns the business.

Naturally Yours Grocery carries a full line of grocery items as well as vitamins and supplements, including two vitamin lines usually only found in doctors' offices, Hutchinson said. It also offers a juice bar, deli bar, soup bar, smoothies and coffee, he said.

The store prefers organic produce and meats, but also carries all-natural products, Hutchinson said. Naturally Yours also likes to support and feature a large portion of products from local organic farmers, he said.

"Traditionally, we can offer fresher products if we buy it locally," Hutchinson said. "It might be picked the very morning we have it in the store."

The Normal location expects to hire about 25 employees, Hutchinson said. Hours at the Peoria location are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; however, Hutchinson is not yet certain whether the company's hours will be the same in Normal.