5 Star Nutrition opens in Pocatello, filling void left by GNC closure
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POCATELLO — When GNC closed its Pine Ridge Mall location earlier this year due to the demolition of the mall, many locals wondered where they’d turn for supplements, protein, vitamins and personalized nutrition guidance.
This Friday, that gap officially gets filled with the grand opening of 5 Star Nutrition — Pocatello’s newest health and wellness store, with a familiar face at the helm: former longtime GNC Senior Store Manager Kade Kendell. The new store is right next door to Pocatello’s popular Pizza Pie Cafe.
Kendell, an American Falls native, spent a decade helping customers at GNC before the mall’s closure. A bodybuilder enthusiast, he originally took a part-time job at the store simply because he loved fitness. But he quickly fell in love with the customer side of the business.
“I learned to listen with intent — to really listen — to what people needed,” Kendell said. “Helping someone transform even a small part of their life became the best part of my job.”
Kendell’s initial plan was to open another GNC store in town. However, when he learned GNC wouldn’t be reopening in Pocatello despite the store’s profitability, he began looking for another way to continue serving the community.
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The answer arrived in the form of 5 Star Nutrition — a fast-growing, U.S.-based retail chain founded in 2009 by a group of college friends who wanted a more community-driven approach to supplements and wellness.
Today, 5 Star Nutrition has more than 50 locations around the country, specializing in sports nutrition, vitamins, weight-loss support, wellness products and customized guidance. Kendell’s store will be the brand’s first in Idaho and the first in the entire Northwest — something he still finds surreal.
“I’m honestly in awe of how everything lined up from the location to opening the first 5 Star Nutrition Store in the Northwest,” he said. “The Lord definitely had His hand in this.”
After recently returning from training at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, Kendell is excited to bring a wide range of products to Pocatello — from pre-workouts and protein drinks to probiotics, vitamins and wellness essentials, plus something unique to 5 Star Nutrition.
Free InBody Scans for Customers
Kendell said one of the biggest advantages of the new store is the free InBody body-composition scans available to every customer. The high-tech system uses an eight-point electrode method to measure muscle mass, body fat percentage, water distribution and more — giving people a clear picture of their overall health.
This information allows staff to create personalized supplement and nutrition recommendations and helps customers track their progress over time. It also plays a key role in the store’s 5 Star Fit Transformation Challenge, which uses the InBody scans for official weigh-ins and weigh-outs.
“These scans can give people real information — and real hope — so they can change certain aspects of themselves and make positive changes toward better health,” Kendell said.
The grand opening celebration will be held November 21 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the new store next to Pizza Pie Café in Pocatello.
The grand opening will feature representatives from Jim Reeper’s workout apparel, along with supplement brands Frontline Formulations, BullFit and BlackMarket Labs. Guests can enjoy free samples, prizes and giveaways, as well as product information and expert guidance throughout the event.
Permanent business hours will be Monday thru Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
As a new business owner, Kendell says he can’t wait to reconnect with former GNC customers — and meet new ones.
“I haven’t forgotten what people came to GNC for. We’ll have plenty of those niche items on hand, and I’m excited to help people find what supports their goals,” Kendell said. “My greatest satisfaction is when someone comes back to the store to let me know how I helped them solve a problem.”
For more information, visit the website or find it on Facebook and Instagram.