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Kathy Marshall, a nurse, looks over merchandise at the new Diabetic Store in Morrow, which specializes in food, medical supplies, information and footware for people with diabetes.

John Miller has battled diabetes for the past decade. In all that time, the 46-year-old Henry County resident says he's never seen anything like the Diabetic Store, a one-stop shop for diabetes patients that just opened in Jonesboro.

Miller helped set up the store for its grand opening and made a shopping list of musthaves. A foot cream specially formulated for diabetics is among the items he planned to purchase.

"I'm excited about the store," he said. "It's going to be where I can go and get supplies that you can't find in the regular grocery store."

The Diabetic Store, financed by a group of metro Atlanta physicians, specializes in diabetes- related products, including low-carbohydrate foods, footwear and durable medical goods. There also are items for child diabetes patients and pregnant women dealing with gestational diabetes.

The idea of a store targeting diabetics might create a sterile and medicinal image for some people, but the shop actually has a soothing, spa-like atmosphere complete with a waterfall, classical music and complimentary coffees that can be spiced up with sugar-free flavors.

Store manager Danny Barnett helped create the theme.

"Our whole concept was to say, 'Wait a second, these people have a very difficult time with the disease ... so, why do they have to go into a store that has all these steel shelves like a grocery store and get their items?' " he said.

Barnett is especially excited about the products targeting children, including books and a teddy bear designed to teach children how to give themselves insulin shots.

Elaine Saperstein is one of two store clerks with expertise in diabetes treatment.

"The way I envision it is teaching people - helping them to know about their disease and how to take care of it," she says of her role.

Saperstein is a diabetic and a trained medical assistant.

"So, I've had a lot of expertise in diabetes and diabetic foot care," she said.

- This article is a reprint from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.