The Park Slope Food Coop

Yesterday I worked my shift at the Park Slope Food Coop, where I have been a member since 1983 with a brief rest during the time I lived in Chelsea in the late 1980's through early 90's. It has been a part of my life for half my life, one of the longest relationships I have. It remains an important part of my Brooklyn life, and it is something I truly believe in.

The food is amazing and the variety of food is incredible. I had mostly gone to local groceries in recent weeks and I bit into an apple I bought there Tuesday and thought this is amazing, a totally different experience. It is a cooperative venture that works, where people work together toward a common goal and succeed. I generally do "checkout" which means I scan people's groceries and now with the new technology they can pay me with a debit card, rather going to a cashier. It has speeded up shopping and has made the coop experience that much better. It's also a great way to see what other people are buying, items I may not know of.

While I was working yesterday, a woman told me she lives in a small one bedroom in the South Slope, which she bought when she was single. She is now married and her husband will not move further into Brooklyn, because it is important that they live nearer to the Coop. I thought that was amazing.

I need to be more involved in efforts to create a coop in Bay Ridge, however, there are so many hours in a day.

If you live or work near the Slope, come by for a visit. It is located at 782 Union Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. It's worth a trip for a far as well.