I was standing near the registers last week when a longtime member came up to me. She wasn’t upset, and she didn’t need anything, she was just honest. She looked at her receipt, sighed, and said, “I love this place, and I still stop here first when I’m doing my grocery shopping, but right now I just don’t know if I can afford to shop here like I used to.”
I nodded, because I get it. We all do.
These days, it feels like every time you turn around, something costs more. Rent. Gas. Groceries. It’s harder to ignore, and even harder to plan around. You start second-guessing purchases that once felt simple, like a new book, a spontaneous cup of coffee with a friend, or a treat-myself-because-I-deserve-it chocolate bar.
So when someone says they’re not sure they can keep choosing the Co-op as often as they used to, it’s not something we take lightly. We hear it. We feel it too. And it’s exactly why we’ve been having some real, serious conversations behind the scenes.
We’ve had to ask ourselves some hard questions. What does it mean to stay true to our values during hard times? How do we keep offering food that’s nourishing and ethical without making people feel like it’s out of reach? How do we keep showing up for this community without cutting corners or pretending everything’s fine?
Here’s what we’ve landed on: we don’t need to pretend things are fine. We just need to be honest, and keep trying.
We’re not going to be the cheapest store in town. But we’re not trying to be. What we are trying to be is worth it. Worth it in quality, in integrity, in the way we treat people. And right now, we know being worth it means making sure you feel like walking through our doors won’t empty your wallet.
That’s why we’re working harder than ever to improve and expand the things that make shopping here easier. Worth it.
We’re offering weekly deals on real essentials. We’re calling out our Co-op Basics items (the purple tags) so you can find the lowest-priced options that still meet our high standards. We’re being more intentional about how we talk about prices, so nothing feels hidden or mysterious. We’re highlighting local producers whose prices stay steady, even when national brands go up. We’re hosting free workshops that help you get more out of the food you buy. And we’re actively listening to your feedback, making changes based on what you actually need, not what we think you need.
But more than that, we’re trying to reconnect. To remind you why this place exists in the first place.
It exists because a group of friends wanted better access to fresh, wholesome food. Because someone else wanted a safe place to bring their kids. Because they wanted to know where their food came from. Because neighbors wanted to build something that felt better than anonymous checkout lines and fluorescent aisles.
What began as a buying club grew into your community-owned grocery store with a simple mission that remains our motivator today: make good food accessible, support local farmers and producers, and keep every dollar as close to home as possible. Our founders didn’t do it for profit or prestige. They did it because they believed food should be honest, ethical, and rooted in community.
We’re still that place.
I know it’s not always easy to choose the Co-op. But every time you do, you’re choosing something bigger. You’re choosing the farmers we live next to. The delivery driver who says hi to every staff member by name when he unloads the baked-that-morning bread. The cashier who remembers your favorite salad or guesses what dish you’re making. The general manager who’s spent 20 years in the local grocery industry and grew through the ranks of our store to her current role, leading her team over tremendous hurdles we’re all figuring out together. You’re choosing a store that reinvests every dollar possible back into this community.
And we’re choosing you right back.
If there’s something we can do to make it easier, tell us. If there’s something here you love, tell your friends. If you haven’t stopped in for a while, come see what’s new. The heart of this place is still the same. We’re still here. And we’re still yours.
With care and optimism,
Devorah Sawyer
Marketing Manager
