For food lovers Art and Martha Nading, it was fitting that their dream of owning a kitchen supply shop came to life around the dinner table. The two had always loved entertaining — on prom night, Art kicked his parents out of the house and served Martha shish kebabs and shrimp cocktail — and they were interested in starting a small business.

Now, 33 years later, The Extra Ingredient in Greensboro stands as a testament to the couple’s devotion to their work and values. Just inside the door, the aroma of fresh coffee fills the air, and carefully arranged displays of dinnerware evoke memories of delicious family meals.

There’s a shelf of pasta makers, the same kind that Art owned in the ’80s, and a wall full of colorful cookware. Customers drawn by the store’s high-quality products and attentive service browse everything from snacks and seasonings to blenders and aprons.

Customers return to The Extra Ingredient regularly to find the perfect preserves or dinnerware — and to visit Martha and Art Nading. photograph by Sara Brennan

People often return to the store to proudly share pictures of their culinary creations, like a fresh apple cake made after purchasing a cake pan. The Nadings have even attended customers’ weddings. But the store is not just about helping people bake pound cake like their grandma’s. “We try to encourage people to share not just their food,” Martha says, “but their experiences and their lives with each other around the table.”

The Extra Ingredient
801 Friendly Center Road
Greensboro, NC 27408
(336) 299-9767
extraingredient.com