Fort Greene Co-Op Chooses Toiling
Despite the low-pitched groan that emanates from the Park Slope Food Co-op due to compulsory work slots, the impending Fort Greene co-op has chosen to follow Park Slope’s model. The Brooklyn Paper reports that every member of the Greene Hill Co-op will work a shift in exchange for discounted organic groceries, though they’re in favor…
Despite the low-pitched groan that emanates from the Park Slope Food Co-op due to compulsory work slots, the impending Fort Greene co-op has chosen to follow Park Slope’s model. The Brooklyn Paper reports that every member of the Greene Hill Co-op will work a shift in exchange for discounted organic groceries, though they’re in favor of a less strict policy than Park Slope’s, which has members work two shifts if they miss one. Can’t have community unless all folks participate, they decided. Now they just need to find a space.
Workers of the Co-op Unite [Brooklyn Paper]
PSFC Produce. Photo by bluesage.
I think benson makes good points regarding the availability of quality product at other locations. Maybe people don’t like the concept of corporate big box retailers but they do provide a tremendous breadth and quality of product. On the other hand, the same demand has been what has spurred the growth of neighborhood upscale gourmet/specialty grocery stores like Provisions and the soon-to-come market in Bed Stuy.
I’ve been a member of the coop for 6 years, and remained so even after I moved from Park Slope to Red Hook. I shop at both the coop and Fairway regularly and I can tell you that the produce at Fairway and prices do not even compare. The coop has the best produce I’ve seen in the city next to the Union Square Farmer’s market and the prices are way cheaper. Also the cross-section of people who are coop members is pretty incredible and they come from all over Brooklyn and some even come in from upstate or Long Island. It’s not a bunch of lawyers and bankers as people here seem to be assuming. Not that we don’t have those as well, but you’ll also see Hasidic families, rastas, old school Park Slope liberals, hipster kids, people on foodstamps (what’s their time worth Benson?), gays, lesbians.
I’m also always astounded at how angry everyone gets about having to work. If you don’t like it don’t join, it’s as simple as that. But why be so pissed about it or offended by its existance? It’s a coop after all and was founded on the idea of being member run and operated. It’s not a for profit venture. THat’s the whole point so the aruements above about taking advantage of selling to the non-working public don’t really apply. And work slots include everything from cashiering, to composting, to publishing the newsletter, to working on the environmental committee. That said it’s not perfect. And there are some odd/difficult members, but no more so that the people I have to deal with walking down 7th Avenue. But I don’t begrudge having to work. 2hrs and 45 minutes a month is easy enough and I look forward to it because I’m supporting something that I feel very connected to ideologically. Perhaps that’s where it skews things for people? They don’t get that there’s a philosophy driving it and it’s not capitalism.
If you took a tour of the Co-op, you’d probably feel differently, Benson.
The produce section is like the Union Square Farmers Market, but 40% the price.
And I’m not kidding.
I’d also argue that a lot of people are members of the Food Co-op because they think it’s fun, it’s a social gathering place and people enjoy it. That’s what I hear from some of its supporters. Some of us enjoy food shopping, cooking, etc. etc. and don’t look at it as work.
Greene Hill Food Co-op will be great edition to this part of Brooklyn. Any hints on its future location?
My suggestions- 1. Myrtle Ave. near Pratt’s art store, perhaps a deal could be negotiated with the University for space in their new building. or 2. Fulton Ave. near the Clinton/Washington station, its close to mass transportation and there are currently several vacant storefronts.
z….please back up the cost savings assumption with some hard evidence.
I agree…Fairway isn’t on my radar at all. I don’t have a car and don’t intend to cab or bus it to get groceries. I live in an urban area so that I can walk or take mass transit to the things I need.
I think Trader Joe’s will put a dent in Fairway’s business and I do plan to shop there and take the bus home.
Fairway’s decision to put their store in an area which is inaccessible for people without cars gives me little desire to give them my business. I’m not judging, and people can do what they please, but that’s how I personally feel about it.
Ikea, fine. That store is too big to put in other areas and home goods are not staples of everyday life. Plus, they seem to have done some things to make it more easily accessible for those without cars.
11217;
Obviously, as I said,it depends upon what a person feels that their time is worth. Please note,however, that it is not free, leisure time, as you stated. Those who join the COOP should be clear about what they are doing: they are working to save money off their food costs, and in doing so, they should account for the value of their labor. That was my original point to Goldie, and it seems to me that she made no account of the value of her time.
Sorry, but I don’t buy the quality argument at all. With Fairway here, Trader Joe’s coming and the preponderance of Green Markets, I don’t see how the COOP has special access any longer to quality products. If anything,it seems to me that Fairway and Trader Joe’s,with their huge buying power,would have the upper leg.
looking at it a different way: assume a family would normally spend $800 on groceries on a month. and assume that the same groceries would cost $525 at another supermarket. that’s a savings of $275. at 2.75 hours, that translates to $100/hour net of taxes, which can be grossed up to a pre-tax wage of $150/hour.
as upscale as park slope has become, it’s not surprising that there are a lot of people for whom making $150/hour makes good economic sense.
Honestly, with the relatively small space and the deplorable selection of good groceries in the Park Slope vicinity, I wouldn’t think the Co-op could handle opening up the doors to non-members.
I agree with you though…I wish I could shop there without joining (and would even consider paying higher prices) but I think that place would be overwhelmed. It simply couldn’t handle the capacity.
And they already own the building, so I don’t think they are looking to make more money.