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Cynthia Chippindale said she wants to dispel the myth that only the wealthy can afford to eat local organic food. She hopes her new store, Potager’s Other Stuff, will do just that.

Potager’s Other Stuff, a new grocery store with organic food, opened Jan. 28 across the street from Potager Cafe, which has French cuisine.

Cynthia Chippindale, the owner of both establishments, said she opened Potager’s Other Stuff to give people access to the ingredients she normally uses at her cafe.

“Since I’ve opened the restaurant, people have been asking where they could get the ingredients,” she said. “I know a lot of farmers and I get my ingredients from them. And I finally figured where can they get them? They can get them from me if I open a little shop, so I decided I would do that.”

The shop sells produce and meats from local farmers and ranchers. Chippindale said she likes to support small businesses as opposed to larger ones.

“I want to support local farmers more,” she said. “You support the farmers and buy from them, the more we’ll have.”

She said she wants people to stop eating “garbage food.”

Chippindale said she meets a lot of local farmers and ranchers because she is active in the environmental and organic movement. One such rancher is Clinton Hodges, who owns Sterling Lamb, a ranch located in Sterling.

“Cynthia has been one of our customers for a while, and after she decided to open a market, she asked us to put all of our cuts in,” he said. “You can advertise and advertise, but word of mouth is still the better form of advertisement, and that’s the way she operates.”

Cheap beers from local breweries and boutique wines also are available at Chippindale’s store.

In addition to groceries, Chippindale plans to sell crafts at her new store, including sandals made from rope, shirts made from hemp and cups made by a local potter.

“There’s an awful lot of talent in Arlington, so I’m going to be selling crafts,” she said. “We have to start feeling like a community again. We don’t have to bring in things from far away. We have the talent here.”

Employee Randi Rushing, who is also UTA alumna, said the grocery store’s proximity to campus is what will appeal most to students.

“You can walk here or you can bike here,” Rushing said. “We’re going to have coffee, pastries, quiches, things you can pick up for lunch. If someone is interested in local produce and meats, we’re going to be a great source for that.”

Chippindale said people can buy just enough food for a quick lunch.

“Rather than just selling a bunch of beets or chicken, I’m going to be selling small amounts,” she said. “So you can buy three Brussels sprouts or one turnip or one chicken thigh if you want to. If you want a lot, you can buy a lot, but you don’t have to. This way you can afford to have at least one healthy meal a day.”