Park Slope Food Coop

Park Slope Food Coop and Coronavirus: People Wait Hours as Grocery Store Struggles | Eater NY

"On Seventh Avenue in Park Slope I’ve watched lines for the Park Slope Food Coop form a U from Union Street to President Street, with members waiting anywhere from 40 minutes to three hours because only 35 people are allowed inside at a time. The 47‑year‑old, member‑owned co‑op—one of the country’s biggest and oldest active food cooperatives with about 17,000 members—normally requires a one‑time $100 refundable investment plus a $25 nonrefundable registration fee and a two‑and‑a‑half‑hour work shift every four weeks to earn the right to shop; members historically do about 75% of the store’s work, which keeps prices low. Since March 16 management replaced member labor with more than 40 part‑time minimum‑wage employees for safety and introduced rules such as mandatory hand sanitizer on entry, a four‑person aisle limit, carts placed to increase spacing, and special hours for seniors; as of April 9 the co‑op reported no staff or hourly worker had tested positive. Despite the somberer atmosphere and longer waits, many of us keep coming because we trust the co‑op to follow strict safety rules, value its selection of gluten‑free/vegan/alternative items and its ability to stay well‑stocked (including toilet paper and paper towels), and rely on its lower prices—a flat 21% markup that surveys say yields 20–40% savings (for example, non‑GMO chicken thighs about $2.20/lb at the co‑op versus $3.99–$5.99/lb for organic at Whole Foods, and a 52‑oz Chobani oat milk at $3.42 at the co‑op versus $7.39 at Gristedes). The co‑op has nevertheless seen a massive drop in sales—losing more than $500,000 a week, a $20,000 increase in payroll costs, and weekly bank losses of $110,000—so management has applied for SBA loans, sought a line of credit, and asked members to donate or increase their member equity. For many members, including me (I’ve been a member for close to a year), the store still engenders a sense of belonging and home and feels worth the wait." - Terri Ciccone