Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative
| Company type | Worker cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Grocery, Organic foods |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Headquarters | 3930 Judah Street, , United States |
Area served | San Francisco Bay Area |
| Products | Organic food, bulk goods, produce, household items |
Number of employees | 17 (as of 2017) |
Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative is a worker cooperative, organic food grocery store,[1] and legacy business,[2] located on in the Sunset district of San Francisco.[3] It is one of two grocery cooperatives in San Francisco; the other being Rainbow Grocery Cooperative.[4]
History
Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative was established by volunteer staff in 1975, and many of the early shoppers were also volunteers.[3] The co-op was a part of the People's Food System, a larger network of food co-operatives that developed in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1970s.[5] The collapse of the People's Food System created challenges for the store. Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, a longtime worker-member, said: "It was really difficult, especially for a small store like this. We had 10 years that were so difficult financially and organizationally — we almost closed down three times — but the community was our strength. Because we’re so isolated, the community that lives near us is drawn to us."[5] In 1982, the store moved to its current location at 3930 Judah Street, and it underwent a restructuring in 1987 that converted the store into a "hybrid consumer-co-op."[3] During the 1980s, many businesses in the Outer Sunset closed down due to the recession, but the co-op survived due to community and worker support.[1] In 1999, the store legally became a Worked-Owned Cooperative. In 2008, the cooperative bought the store space, with help from Arizmendi Bakery, Cheese Board Collective, Rainbow Grocery, Veritable Vegetable, and co-op members.[3]
In 2016, a book about the co-op, "Other Avenues Are Possible” was published by PM Press.[5] On January 20, 2017, the store was closed in protest of the inauguration of Donald Trump.[4] The decision was reached by consensus among the 17 staff members.[4] In 2018, the co-op became a Legacy Business in San Francisco.[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic, no workers at the co-op lost their jobs,[6] and some media publications speculated that co-operative businesses were better equipped to handle a pandemic.[6][7]
The storefront has a mural by Carlo Grünfeld,[2] a San Francisco artist.[8]
References
- ^ a b c Beacon, Sunset (2024-10-08). "Other Avenues Celebrates a Half Century Serving the West Side". Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ a b "Registry | San Francisco Legacy Business". legacybusiness.org. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ a b c d "Legacy Business Registry Staff Report" (PDF). www.sf.gov. 2019-01-14.
- ^ a b c Kauffman, Jonathan (2017-01-09). "Outer Sunset grocery to close in protest on Inauguration Day". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ a b c Kauffman, Jonathan (2017-03-16). "Q&A with Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ a b Tsai, Luke (2020-03-27). "Are Worker-Owned Restaurants Better Equipped to Weather the COVID-19 Crisis?". Eater SF. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ Swanhuyser, Hiya (2021-06-18). "No Boss: Bay Area Worker-Owned Businesses Thrive During the Pandemic by Prioritizing Health Over Profits | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ "Carlo Grünfeld – San Francisco Women Artists". www.sfwomenartists.org. Retrieved 2024-12-13.