Park Slope Food Coop- A Community Operation

imageThe Food Co Op of Park Slope turned 40 years old this year, and was just recently highlighted by BBC News as one of the few remaining food cooperatives that have a member labor requirement.  The publication also highlighted the fact that the Brooklyn community doesn’t seem to mind the rule.  In order to shop at the store, and to keep the prices down, members are required to put in at least 2.75 hours of their time every four weeks.  The sense of community in the co op flourishes in large part due to this rule.  Members realize that the quality of the food cannot be beat by the other competing grocery stores in the area.  On average, members spend about a third less than they would at any other grocery store.  Professions of the people who volunteer their time at the co op range from bus drivers to stock brokers, and they all work cohesively to keep the co op afloat.  To learn more about the co op, or to join the 16,000 other members of the co op, click here-http://www.foodcoop.com/

photo courtesy of the NY Times