b'$2,000 and with great success. In Durango,press on Irving Street in San Francisco inicated staff. It grew into five stores and be-Colorado, his second daughter, Anna, wasa little 350-square-foot remodeled garage,came the best place to buy vitamins in the born.AftertwoyearsMichaelsoldthereferred to as the Cave.SF Bay Area. I would know, I used to shop business, his home, and moved to London,An important factor existed, his daugh- there regularly.England so his wife Mary could study gui- terAnnahadbeenbornwithcerebellarIn those years, one must also credit the tar with Stefan Grossman. However, afterataxia (cerebral palsy). Michael read all hetremendoussupportandtrainingfrom nine months they ran out of money and re- could find on the subject at SFSU and fortu- dedicatedsalesrepresentatives,knowl-turned to the U.S., but this time it was Tuc- nately discovered an excellent large volumeedgeablecustomers,professionalhealth son, Arizonaplucked from a map of theof studies focused on nutrition. Annas lifepractitioners,health-freedomadvocates, U.S., Michael went back to teaching ESL toin those first years was Michaels greatesteven an inspector from the Food and Drug adults at Pima College and selling carpetsfocus. Here again, nutrition was the savingAdministration (FDA), which came as a big at JC Penney. Nutrition continued to fasci- grace and his main motivation to open Vi- surprise when all others were having their nate him despite odd jobs that allowed himtamin Express. It enabled him access andliterature taken from their stores.to indulge his persistent curiosity and pat- education into brain and nervous-systemEvertheeducator,Michaelmadesure tern of always learning, something thatnutrients. As of today, one would find itthat each store had his specially designed he and Michelangelo shared. difficult to even think that Anna was everliteraturerackdisplayingover120nutri-The Arizona heat and intense sunlightborn with that condition.tionalhealtharticles,supplementsheets, worried Michael because his two daugh- Salesrepresentatives,however,won- and product disclosures. These were rotat-ters were both so fair, one a red head anddered if the business could possibly suc- ed as new information emerged and nutri-the other a platinum blond. Therefore, theceed when they were opening up a storetional supplementation became a part of the family moved to San Francisco in the Sun- with only $5,000, eight shelves, and storegrowing American right to know move-set District, which on old maps is calledstock consisting mostly of teas and onlyment on how to improve and protect health.uninhabitable because of the relentless fog.two vitamin linesRichLife and J. PiersonMichael and his managers maintained To them, it was perfect. Company. an arduous weekly training program for Yes, it was. What made it successful andthestaff,withamonthlytrainingmeet-Vitamin Express growingapart from Michaels powerfuling of all 30 to 35 employees after work-Afterbecomingestablishedteachingpersonal story and insatiable study of nu- ing hours always with a meal, usually in ESLatSanFranciscoCityCollegeandtritionwere the highest quality supple- Michaels large office. These were excellent with a final payout in 1981 from the newments, discounted prices, knowledgeable,presentations by the owners and trainers owners of the Cortez Health Food Center,friendlyadvice,incredibleproductselec- ofallthemajorandminorsupplement in April 1982, Michael opened Vitamin Ex- tion, integrity, and a well-trained and ded- manufacturers.22 H ealtHF reedomN ews /F all2020HFN_FALL-2020_11-02-2020-FINAL.indd 22 11/2/20 8:50 PM'