I did it!

I left the Food Coop. Immediately after leaving, i felt afraid and guilty. Then a couple days later elation set in. It's like I've left a cult. In fact, I have. :twisted:

Well...as a fellow leaver of some years ago, let me assure you that not being a member is an easy thing to get used to.

Good to hear! What made you decide to leave?

Haha, I'm not going into too much detail on that question...I guess the best way to put it would be to say that the advantages didn't make up for some of the less pleasant aspects of membership. That, and people that I met and liked always seemed to move on - whether it was just leaving the Coop or leaving the area entirely - and people that I clashed with invariably clung to the joint as though it were life itself. Not sorry I did it though; if I hadn't, I'd always wonder what it was really like past all the jokes and stuff.

the coop scares me. too many smelly hippies for my liking.

and this is coming from somebody who had seen their fair share of phish concerts back in the day.

hippies. yuck.

Congratulations! Way to go!

Congrats! The perfect antecdote is Fairway in Red Hook - and nobody there has glazed-over eyes!

I went there yesterday for the 2nd time and I don't think I'll shop anywhere else ('cept for around the corner in an emergency)

Not having a car, I feel so left out of this whole Fairway deal. Has anyone tried walking there and taking a car service back? I may hafta go that route...

Drano wrote: Not having a car, I feel so left out of this whole Fairway deal. Has anyone tried walking there and taking a car service back? I may hafta go that route...

I used to do that when I lived in Harlem and would go to the 127th st. Fairway. go for it.

Definitely worth the trip. It's bee-yoo-tee-ful

car service for sure - that's how I used to get back from Pathmark b/4 Fairway opened. Only I use it both ways to Fairway.

Wow, is the co-op that bad? I've never been there, I use Fresh Direct 'cause I don't want to carry all my groceries up 5 flights. And don't you have to be a member of the co-op or something? What's up with that? I went to grad school so I did NOT have to work at a grocery store!

Livetotravel wrote: car service for sure - that's how I used to get back from Pathmark b/4 Fairway opened. Only I use it both ways to Fairway.

What do you pay, if you don't mind my asking?

$7 each way - older cars from PS Car Service on 4th Ave. (who I wouldn't use for anything else except toting lots of bags from Fairway)

How often do you go?

And I want to know what is so great about this Fairway. What do they have in there?

Cheese! Great selection of stank-ass feet-smelling cheese!

They have a great meat counter, a cheese counter, tons of olives, lots of imported stuff (e.g. if you're from England and craving special Cadbury chocolates that we don't have here), good produce, fair prices.

Flexichick wrote: Cheese! Great selection of stank-ass feet-smelling cheese!

They have a great meat counter, a cheese counter, tons of olives, lots of imported stuff (e.g. if you're from England and craving special Cadbury chocolates that we don't have here), good produce, fair prices.

Sounds like it's worth the cabfare. Do they have a good selection of organic food?

Yes, very good. Plus they have a vitamin section (similar to Back to the Land if you've ever been there) and you can sample all of their Fairway brand olive oils with pieces of bread when you go near the cheese counter.

They also have good packaged/fresh food like hummus, ravioli, soups, etc.

i never understood people why go to that stupid cult of a coop. i mean you paid for your own god damn food why bother to work there.

I would conservatively estimate that I save a couple grand a year, probably more, shopping at the co-op. (Even compared with buying the same stuff at a relatively cheap, and very good, market like Fairway.) If you have a couple kids and cook a lot it adds up fast.

I'm not a political fanatic, in fact don't even particularly care about the environment. I just like fancy food and good produce and am cheap.

armchair_warrior wrote: i never understood people why go to that stupid cult of a coop. i mean you paid for your own god damn food why bother to work there.

linusvanpelt wrote: I would conservatively estimate that I save a couple grand a year, probably more, shopping at the co-op. (Even compared with buying the same stuff at a relatively cheap, and very good, market like Fairway.) If you have a couple kids and cook a lot it adds up fast.

I'm not a political fanatic, in fact don't even particularly care about the environment. I just like fancy food and good produce and am cheap.


[quote=armchair_warrior]i never understood people why go to that stupid cult of a coop. i mean you paid for your own god damn food why bother to work there.

I must have saved a couple of grand a year shopping there too. But it's soo worth losing that couple grand to not have to work in that cult anymore. I'm not the cheap type though.

Anonymous wrote: I must have saved a couple of grand a year shopping there too. But it's soo worth losing that couple grand to not have to work in that cult anymore. I'm not the cheap type though.

Wow! What, did they try to get you to sign over your assets in your will? Did you have to wear purple Nikes?

I'm like a broken record about this here, but I've been in the co-op for about five years and I've never had any problems with people foisting their beliefs on me. I mean, I don't doubt your experience, but nobody's ever lectured me for buying meat or Cheerios or beer. I don't agree with the GMO militants, but I just ignore them. When I work my shift, we basically gossip and bitch about work or whatever and that's it. And when I shop--I mean, it's not a social experience. I buy my food and go. Maybe I'm just especially good at ignoring my fellow man.

linusvanpelt wrote: [quote=Anonymous]I must have saved a couple of grand a year shopping there too. But it's soo worth losing that couple grand to not have to work in that cult anymore. I'm not the cheap type though.

Wow! What, did they try to get you to sign over your assets in your will? Did you have to wear purple Nikes?

I'm like a broken record about this here, but I've been in the co-op for about five years and I've never had any problems with people foisting their beliefs on me. I mean, I don't doubt your experience, but nobody's ever lectured me for buying meat or Cheerios or beer. I don't agree with the GMO militants, but I just ignore them. When I work my shift, we basically gossip and bitch about work or whatever and that's it. And when I shop--I mean, it's not a social experience. I buy my food and go. Maybe I'm just especially good at ignoring my fellow man.
I just hate many of the cult members who work in the office and they're stupid policy of making people do "makeup" shifts and the fact that half the time there's not even work to do, and the fact that they won't just let you pay a bit more and still be a member and not work there - like normal co-ops

I happen to think the coop is a great idea and the few people that I know that belong to the coop are really wonderful people. That said there are a few things that keep me from joining:

1. From what I understand, myself and my husband would have to pull a shift and my husband is soo not the type that would fit in at the coop (i.e., would loose his temper with the "problem" people).

2. Its pretty hard for me to dedicate a specific amount of time each month to something (or at least not be able to float my day). It would be great if there were professional stand bys that I could pay to take my shift if I was unable to do so (i.e., college student looking to make extra cash).

3. I do almost all my grocery shopping on the weekends and from what I have seen and heard it is extremely crowded at the coop on weekends and I have cannot stand shopping in large crowds.

That being said, I think that the idea behind the coop as well as having another choice for families is a definiately a good thing.

sexylegs wrote:
I just hate many of the cult members who work in the office and they're stupid policy of making people do "makeup" shifts and the fact that half the time there's not even work to do, and the fact that they won't just let you pay a bit more and still be a member and not work there - like normal co-ops

OK, so "cult" = you don't want to have to work. I hate the cult I get my weekly paycheck from too.

Seriously, people often bring up the pay-instead-of-work suggestion. I used to shop at smaller co-ops that did this. I have nothing against it (many co-op members do, saying it undercuts the sense of community, but I don't care). But... smaller co-ops tend to do it because they have to -- because they're small and need to bring in shoppers.

For better or worse PSFC is very popular and big, so it can easily sustain itself without a two-tiered system. And since it would be much more crowded and unpleasant to shop there if everyone could shop for a fee, there's no incentive for the co-op to offer that option. Unless it could somehow move into a space the size of Whole Foods.

Personally I look forward to Fairway making the aisles less crowded. I also shop at Fairway sometimes and like it too.

linusvanpelt wrote: Unless it could somehow move into a space the size of Whole Foods.

Have they ever thought about expanding? Is that something that is likely to happen?

stacey wrote: [quote=linusvanpelt]Unless it could somehow move into a space the size of Whole Foods.

Have they ever thought about expanding? Is that something that is likely to happen?

They did expand, in 2000 or 2001, taking over the building next door. (It was teeeeeeeny before.) No such plans now as far as I know.

They've been debating whether or not to accept debit cards adn credit cards for about the past five years :roll:

sexylegs wrote: They've been debating whether or not to accept debit cards adn credit cards for about the past five years :roll:

Sounds like it's time for an OMG committee. That oughta keep a few people busy.

Subject: PSFC not always cheap

I never seemed to save that much money at the Co-op, to be honest. Shopping for a single person, one who eats meat, I never left there without spending $70 on groceries. I get about the same quantity of food at Trader Joe's now for $25, maybe $40 at Fairway.

linusvanpelt wrote: I would conservatively estimate that I save a couple grand a year, probably more, shopping at the co-op. (Even compared with buying the same stuff at a relatively cheap, and very good, market like Fairway.) If you have a couple kids and cook a lot it adds up fast.

I'm not a political fanatic, in fact don't even particularly care about the environment. I just like fancy food and good produce and am cheap.