Here’s our pal Pete on the Park Slope Food Coop and why he quit and took the fair way.
Well, count me among those who just recently left the co-op. After 3 years, I finally had enough of the Soviet-style Communism masquerading as socialism (which OTBKB commenter Michael reminded us is rooted in the philosophy: to each according to their needs, from each according to their means).
The PSFC’s “love us or get out” attitude is hardly exemplary of anything resembling cooperative. I have been a supporter of sustainable agriculture for two decades. One of my best friends was executive director of the largest activist organization in the country for sustainable agriculture and even she told me that the PSFC hard-core were notoriously known as the Co-op Nazi’s – even in those liberal circles!
And oh yeah, on Fairway, first of all, you totally DON’T need a car – the F train to Smith and 9th and the 77 bus is a quick and easy route, and with no long lines AND FREE home delivery for orders over a hundred dollars, we have saved hours over the co-op life every week, AND don’t let anyone lie to you, the prices are totally comparable to the co-op’s, in some cases significantly cheaper, and they have ever-expanding organic sections, including beautiful organic meats and chicken. By adding the two local greenmarkets in Prospect Park on Wednesday and Saturday to our bi-monthly trips to Fairway, our food-shopping life has once again become pleasurable.
The bottom line is this: like most fascist regimes, the PSFC’s dogma has ended up superceeding its original mission, which in this case was to help local, small, organic farmers stay in business and help consumers obtain healthy food. I believe in sustainable agriculture as a way of life. I’m also very busy as a psychotherapist, writer and parent of two kids. Most other serious food co-ops in the country today allow members the option to work at the co-op and pay lower prices, or not work and pay higher prices. Who does that hurt? Reall
otbkb loves the Food Coop warts and all. Louise
I’ve been a member of the Park Slope Food Coop for 31 years, on the management team for 19 years, and have been the produce buyer for the last 10 years. Although Pete may think that I am a Soviet communist socialist liberal fascist nazi, I prefer to think of myself as a free thinking Green pinko.
The original mission of PSFC is “Good food at low prices for working members since 1973”. Other stores are open to all who can afford to shop there. We are open to all who can afford to work here. The PSFC is not for everyone. That’s OK; we serve our nearly 13,000 members very well.
I visited Fairway when it opened and then again a month later. I did a very careful and thorough price comparison of produce. They were approximately 50% higher on exactly comparable items (meaning comparing organic to organic, etc.) and had almost no local organic produce (almost every organic vegetable they sold at that time was grown in California. I like Fairway and stop in for a bite when ever I visit Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition across the street.
Not at all yet at the peak of the local harvest, we have 96 locally grown produce items today, most of them from small family farms, mostly within 100-200 miles from us. We are grateful to the over 50 small farms we buy from, and they in turn are grateful for our support. Please see the link to our daily posted produce prices, which includes the origin of each item at foodcoop.com
I used to shop at co-ops in California but they (Davis, Arcata) have the non-member option – pay more. I was shocked to discover that the PSC doesn’t do this. I can’t read the verification that’s required.
I, for one, take a giant, steaming shit on the “co-op” (talk about a misnomer). Fairway rocks.