NYT: Food Co-op Exile's Story Demands 2,000 Words
Comrades, a new bar has just been set for Park Slope Food Co-op navel gazing: “For such a scrutinized institution, little public attention is paid to people like me—co-op failures and near-failures who have struggled to stay in good standing and have stumbled in the cramped aisles. Like every other aspect of the much-loved and…
Comrades, a new bar has just been set for Park Slope Food Co-op navel gazing: “For such a scrutinized institution, little public attention is paid to people like me—co-op failures and near-failures who have struggled to stay in good standing and have stumbled in the cramped aisles. Like every other aspect of the much-loved and much-hated co-op, the topic of members in trouble draws a bushel of opinions. An organic bushel, of course…The co-op, a place that raises aspirations for society, makes us raise aspirations for ourselves. I am still suspended, but imagine myself someday returning and remaining in good standing. Nostalgically, I envision old friends and former roommates in the aisles, examining the white nectarines. But I wonder: couldn’t it be a little mellower?” —Flunking Out at the Food Co-op
Photo by Betty Blade.
> those thin white stringy ones (Japanese)
http://www.foodsubs.com/Mushroom.html#enoki ?
(sorry, my ‘executive’ summary did have a few cutesy comments… though I would argue that it does capture much of the conversation above.)
Sorry Tybur…Yes, people’s skills could be used more appropriately…maybe…but still, with just 2 1/2 hours once a month (actually 13x per year), I’m not sure what kind of skilled tasks could/need to be assigned. People can sometimes barely remember how to work the register when they only work once a month. The first couple of months for a newbie and you have to retrain them each time.
Granted, there are people (some who aren’t even required to work) who come in extra time and do specific tasks they like, some of which take certain skills/knowledge sets.
And, as I mentioned what we call “future time off” people who may work on one project can quickly fulfill their yearly work requirement. They may work on things that are more related to their jobs/skills (working on the newspaper for example).
Tara,
Executive Summary:
A) Coop members generally like the coop and see where things might be improved or changed. Some of them are acutely aware how non-members might be put off by the coop if they come for a tour on a busy day.
B) Non-coop members mouth off a lot and make cutesy comments.
C) After years hearing about the coop, non-members join and are hooked.
I’ll give it a shot…
*** There’s a grocery store in Park Slope.
*** It is a “workers cooperative” business that is owned (and run) by it’s member/owner/workers.
*** There are 15,000 members.
*** The store is in operation approximately 500 hrs per month.
*** The members must work a combined 41,250 hours per month.
*** In addition to members, there are also paid employees that receive amazing benefits.
*** It takes approximately 100 man hours for every hours the store operates.
*** This would average out to approximately 30-40 workers at any given moment, but is probably some stiflingly high number because most folks aren’t available for 3 hours on a Tuesay afternoon.
*** It is based on an egalitarian approach — taking neither socioeconomic status nor member skillsets into account — you are assigned work according to the schedule!
*** It has very fresh produce and other nice food.
*** The members receive an indeterminate “discount” in comparison to other retailers in exchange for their membership and labor.
*** It has grown into a inflexible machine rooted in the status quo and uninterested in adapting to either the external environment or the sudden change in its membership.
*** The vast majority of the membership are perfectly happy with this position and if you don’t like it, you can leave.
*** There are “squad leaders” that don’t enforce the rules and there are other that are strict rule followers — thus creating inequity and favoritism in this Utopian society.
*** They employ little to no modern (post-1980s) technology to improve the operation of the business or the customer/member’s experience
*** The store is teaming with low-income food stamp recipients.
*** You don’t have to work when you’re sick.
*** You don’t have to care for your own child when your grocery shopping (feel the love)
*** There is an AMAZING social element that rivals your college experience at Sarah Lawrence.
*** They have kosher food, which apparently is both hard to find in Brooklyn and requires a committee to sell it.
I think that covers it.
Yes, Heather, what many of us want to know…why the coop cannot have multiple locations. I do know the idea has been studied. The coop cannot really expand in its current locations since the firehouse is on one side and the schoolyard on the other.
In the past, members were pusing for a branch on our side of the tracks (Fort Greene). It was shot down by a couple of people who had pull and wanted to go another route. It may have been the best way to go at the time. I won’t comment.
What the coop IS doing now, please note, is lending a lot of support to the GreenHill Coop.
Dave, I think there are fresh, organic: crimini, shitake, portabello, champignon de Paris, oyster, those thin white stringy ones (Japanese), lobster, chaterelle, another one like oyster but not as floppy…and there are a lot of dried mushrooms, I think dried morels, etc.
For better or for worse, the coop has gone gourmet to some extend over the years. I don’t mind it but I think it is probably a little off-putting to those on tight budgets. Then again, people who have tight food budgets, can actually afford what is elsewhere often way-overpriced health food and gourmet item.
I was going to read all the comments but then decided they’ll probably all be about the Co-op, so why bother.
Anyone want to sum it up for me?
BrooklynGreene — I’m sort of disappointed you didn’t have anything to say about my direct comment to you.
greatest 18m old? she wakes twice a night, at 10 and 4, goes back to sleep pretty quickly, but still. i go to bed early!
heather, no one is shooting down the formation of coops in other places in brooklyn. in fact, if you join the park slope food coop, your work shift can be helping groups in other neighborhoods get their coops up and running. i believe the coop has provided member labor to a coop in east new york, and possibly also fort greene. it is part of the park slope mission statement to support other coops. but i guess it’s hard to get a coop like the psfc going. it took a long time for the psfc to grow into something like a supermarket.