New White Lake GNC Brings Health Guidance and Expertise to the Community

Retail growth along Highland Road in White Lake has led to the opening of many iconic brands in the township, like a or . One of the latest is General Nutrition Center (GNC) at 340 Town Center.

The store opened in late August and it offers the brands and products that GNC has been a market leader in for more than 70 years, according to David Hunter, store manager. With nearly 1,500 square feet of retail space, the White Lake GNC has thousands of products such as multivitamins, sports nutrition products, vitamin and dietary supplements and more. 

Many of the products experience consistent consumer interest, said Hunter, who has been with GNC for nearly 25 years. But others see spikes in consumer interest based on what is being communicated in the media.

“The multivitamin packs are always popular and you have vitamins and supplements like fish oil and whey protein that people always buy,” Hunter said. “Our protein products are quite popular. But if Dr. Oz features a supplement on his program or there is a report in a major newspaper or on a (news magazine) show then there will be a rush on that.” 

As Baby Boomers age, they are often looking for products that aid in aging or can provide support for such needs as lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels or helping memory loss, Hunter said. However it is important for consumers to work with their physician to determine what products are best suited for their individual needs. 

“You have a lot of customers who may not have the level of health care coverage they had in the past and that’s a big issue,” Hunter said. “The nature of the Internet makes it more likely that consumers will try to self-diagnose but we’re not physicians so we encourage you to work with a doctor and any prescription drugs you may be taking.” 

One of the benefits of working with GNC is the trust that consumers associate with the brand as the company that was providing vitamins and supplements before the personal health industry really took off in the last two decades, Hunter said. All GNC professionals take courses through the GNC University’s online training program, and such training continues throughout the year.

As a company, GNC carries a large percentage of products that it manufactures in the United States and distributes itself, he added. The company also manufactures many vitamins and supplements that are carried by other American retailers. In all there are more than 150 different quality checks that GNC implements and physicians are employed full-time at corporate headquarters. 

“I think that trust that consumers have for us helps us to draw people from many different demographics,” Hunter said. “We cater to anyone. And we have to stay on top of the trends that are of the most interest to our customers.” 

Many of GNC’s White Lake customers have been stopping in because of the visibility the location gets from being along Highland Road and adjacent to such anchor stores as , , and , Hunter said. There are two other full-time employees.

GNC White Lake is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sundays from 12-5 p.m.