Okay, maybe I am overly focused on food, but it happens to be a community magnet, so maybe I’m not the only one. After telling you about the Glenside Farmer’s Market last week, I couldn’t help but think about another community staple, this one in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia. (What is it about food that gets people together?)
There is a grocery store in Mt. Airy that is unlike any supermarket you will go to. The first difference: it is owned by the customers. When the store makes a profit, the customer-owners get money back. What a concept! The second difference: it is staffed by customers. This part might be a little hard for some people to swallow, but one of the member/owner requirements is to work (unpaid) for 6 hours per person per year. The work requirement accomplishes a couple great outcomes. Not only does it help the store stay in the black, but it helps the members get to know each other. Imagine going to the supermarket and seeing not only neighbors, but co-workers and friends. Grocery shopping would double as a social activity.
Another difference is the food itself. Lately I have been starting to pay attention to where my food comes from. It’s interesting, when you go to the supermarket at the height of this area’s strawberry season, and yet all the strawberries have been shipped to your store from California. Or, it’s the height of apple season in PA, but all the apples at the supermarket have been flown in from Washington. Why does this happen? Well, my simplistic explanation is that companies exist to make a profit, and they make a better profit by buying from the same bulk vendors all year round rather than switching vendors and buying from local farms in smaller quantities. But, the Weaver’s Way Co-op does not exist to make a profit. It exists to serve the needs of the community. It has its own local farm which it buys produce from, and also supports numerous other local farmers (and bakers, and soupmakers, etc.) In fact, you can even do your work requirement on the farm, if you like. (I did!)
As a part-owner, you also can have a little clout in the store. You have benefits like ordering in bulk at a discount, influencing what products are carried, and even running for board and being involved in the various aspects of running the store. Right now, Weaver’s Way is a bit of a rarity; there aren’t that many grocery co-ops around. For me, it’s another reason why I love living in this area. But the movement seems to be growing, with a Glenside co-op currently in the planning stages.
