GNC or Vitamin Shoppe: Which is better store for health, protein

GNC and Vitamin Shoppe are two chains that specialize in health and nutrition.

Both offer similar products, but each store has its own devotees.

Read more: We compared the shopping experience at the Walmart and Rite Aid pharmacies, and the drugstore chain came out on top

GNC announced in July that it plans to close up to 900 stores by the end of 2020, increasing from the projected 700 closures the chain had previously estimated. The move came as a result of declining mall traffic, CEO Ken Martindale told investors in July. GNC plans to cut down its mall locations by almost half.

The Vitamin Shoppe said in its first-quarter earnings report in May that it plans to close 60 to 80 stores over the next three years. But shares of the chain soared more than 40% in pre-market trading on Thursday after it announced that it would be acquired by tax preparation company Liberty Tax for $208 million.

We visited both stores to see which was better for health and nutrition supplement shopping. Though the offerings were overall similar, GNC won us over with its clean and organized store filled with interactive add-ons that boosted the customer experience.