Co-op Grocery Stores

It is common today to walk into a standard grocery store or super-market and find vegetarian, vegan, natural, local and organic options. Thirty years ago things were a little different and thus Food Cooperatives were established to help make natural and organic options more affordable to members. A Co-op can purchase larger quantities of these goods and supply them at a discount.

I've grown up a co-op member. As a child, my mother would frequent both Willy Street Co-op and Mifflin Street Co-op with my sister and I in tow.

Willy Street Co-op, http://www.willystreet.coop/, affectionately and simply referred to as Willy Street or just The Co-op by many has been a landmark on Williamson (Willy) Street in Madison since the 1970s. It has changed locations several times in the last 30+ years but has always remained on Willy Street and has grown into probably the most successful business in the neighborhood. My mother would take us to The Co-op when it was located at 1202 Williamson Street (currently the Social Justice Center). The aisles were narrow but the space was bright and lively. I remember being excited to help pick snacks from the bulk bins...sesame sticks were my favorite. I wonder if perhaps this was a favorite snack of mine because I associated them with Oscar and my other friends on Sesame Street. Even at this smaller location the Coop offered a corner for children to play while their parents wondered the aisles.

The Mifflin Co-op opened in 1969 as a grassroots way of taking back the food supply. And though it was a neighborhood gem for decades in Madison it unfortunately closed 5 years ago due to financial struggles. I have fond memories of this Co-op as well...it was cozier than Willy Street and offered different items, like candy. I remember one trip in particular. I was begging my mom to buy me some chocolates that were wrapped in colorful aluminum foil. The chocolates looked like shiny coins in pink, yellow and purple! Oh my my! Now, I wasn't the type of child to throw a fit, but I desperately wanted to enjoy some of these fabulous shiny chocolates. My mother didn't buy us traditional sweets, so I knew that if we were going to get some candy it would be some "healthy" candy from the co-op. After begging and pleading my case my mother had to finally explain to me that the object of my 10 year old desire, these shiny coins were not chocolate candies but shiny condoms. I'm sure I argued, surely this was candy and my mom was trying to pull a fast-one on me. She was clearly making this up. After that episode and the conversation to follow, my sister and I stared in awe at those shiny coins every time we went into the Mifflin Street Co-op.

...That was then and this is now.

Mike and I currently belong to the Willy Street Co-op and the Regent Street Co-op, http://www.regentmarketcoop.org/?page_id=30. The Regent Street Co-op was founded in 1998, but the store has been a grocer since 1924. I love this neighborhood co-op. It does carry a lot of organic and natural items, but not specifically. You can still find Heinz ketchup and Lays Potato Chips if these are items you enjoy. The Regent Street Co-op's strength is definitely in its deli. The deli offers fabulous meat and fish options and if you stop by on a Saturday morning you may be able to see one of the oldest butchers in town. Stop by, say hi and grab one of his wife's homemade brownies before they're all gone! This is still truly a neighborhood grocery store!

Willy Street Co-op, has just opened its second location in Middleton!
I'm very excited for the new Willy Street location. It is located at 6825 University Ave. at the corner of Park and University, in Middleton. Hopefully the new location will help ease traffic and parking concerns at the original location and gain even more members on the West side! Our home is right in between the two Willy co-ops, so we'll have options now! Willy Street's strength is definitely its bulk section and I'm driven to start buying more in bulk to help drive down our waste (cans, jars, bags) and help drive up our percentage of local and organic groceries.


From sesame sticks to shiny condoms, I have a soft spot in my heart for co-op grocery stores and I always will.