Park Slope Food Coop
Grocery store · Park Slope ·
Member-run co-op with local organic produce, meats, cheeses & more
Member-run co-op with local organic produce, meats, cheeses & more
"A cooperative grocery in Park Slope that has been the subject of recent reporting described as internal "drama" and was cited as one of the topics the former New York Times restaurant critic continues to write about in reported features, in parallel with other profiles such as one on chef Kwame Onwuachi." - Emma Orlow
"A Black-led grocery cooperative in Brooklyn that plans to open its first storefront soon; it seeks to keep money circulating locally, support other community food initiatives, and create a cooperative model of access and ownership for neighborhood residents." - Nicole Rufus
"A decades-old, famed Brooklyn grocer, the Park Slope Food Co-op has been embroiled in controversy after member Reginald Ferguson, who is Black, was suspended following a 2017 incident in which another member complained about his choice of music while he was working as shift manager; the complaint went before the co-op’s “Dispute Resolution Squad,” where another member criticized Ferguson’s “joyous attitude,” and Ferguson says he was ultimately suspended without access to an internal hearing in a move that contradicted the co-op’s disciplinary guidelines. After leading protests and repeatedly seeking a hearing, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $10,000 to sue the co-op alleging racial discrimination and says he now intends to take the case to federal court, writing that he was repeatedly ignored and denied due process." - Erika Adams
"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
"A long-running, member-owned food cooperative founded in 1972 that requires members to work shifts to shop; it experienced its biggest-ever sales surge during the early COVID-19 panic as members stocked up on canned foods, bulk grains and beans, depleting supplies and even exhausting ten kinds of bulk beans. Leadership denied reports of chaos and emphasized a normally reliable inventory and bulk-buying system; staff debated purchase limits but ultimately opted not to impose them, arguing that shoppers intent on buying excessively were unlikely to be deterred." - Caleb Pershan
