POULSBO — After deciding that health and wellness were both things he wanted to pursue in his life, Nic Stearns made some smart investment plans and he’s been able to have his dream of making organic and healthy ways of living available to everyone come true.

All before the age of 25.

Stearns opened Maxx Nutrition six months ago in Poulsbo’s College Marketplace, and North End residents are flocking there for everything from smoothies to organic supplements to tea. He started the business on Bainbridge Island, where his first store is still doing well.

“I grew up here, and I have a passion for health and body building,” he said. “I have a store on Bainbridge Island, and I thought, ‘Why not open a store in Poulsbo, too?’ I like it here, and the people have been really receptive to the idea.”

When space became available in the Olhava complex, Stearns decided to open not only a healthy supplement store, but a smoothie shop as well. He refuses to sell anything that isn’t natural, and noted this idea appeals to many residents in the area.

“I won’t carry anything synthetic, we have organic products of only the highest quality,” Stearns said. “There’s no sense in putting something in your body that’s not healthy. A lot of other people around here feel that way, too.”

Maxx Nutrition currently has nutritional supplements, teas, herbs and products for those hoping to shape up or lose weight, but Stearns said he’s hoping to branch out into organic food as well, seeing a definite niche for it in the North End.

He’s not planning to move too far away from health and wellness, but figures residents should easily be able to find organic fruits and vegetables if they want them.

“I like to do one thing, and do it really, really well,” Stearns said. And Maxx Nutrition is doing well — he is ordering a larger and a wider variety of supplements as his customer base gets bigger and asks for different things.

Another of his goals is to prove to people they can have a healthy life on a budget, which can be difficult as organic food is still expensive.

“I like to educate the community on health,” Stearns said. “We’ve already had a couple of classes here, and we’re planning on trying to have one a month.”

In the meantime, Stearns said he will keep working to enlighten each customer about the benefits of healthy living and how to best accomplish it.