So, back in December 2009, Dill Pickle Food Co-op opened up a few blocks from where I live. I actually didn’t realize it was so closeby and never went to check it out. . . . until March of 2010. These are some cell photos I took from inside the store.

Just about everything is organic and sustainable and local where possible. The prices were high, but to be expected both from a quality and small-store standpoint. The supermarket options in Logan Square are very limited so it’s good to have this just around the corner from us. There are a lot of different things packed into this small storefront, even if there aren’t 20 options for each thing. For example, maybe there might be 5 peanut butter options compared to like 35 at Jewel or Dominic’s, which, honestly, is fine by me. One thing I thought they did really well were the bulk options.

If you don’t know what a food co-op is, here’s how wikipedia defines it:

A food cooperative or food co-op is a grocery store organized as a cooperative. Food cooperatives are usually consumers’ cooperatives and are owned by their members. Food cooperatives follow the 7 Cooperative Principles and typically offer natural foods. Since decisions about how to run the cooperative are not made by outside shareholders, cooperatives often exhibit a higher degree of social responsibility than their corporate brethren. The cooperative movement started in the 19th century and the first notable food cooperative was started in Rochdale, England by industrial weavers known as the Rochdale Pioneers. The cooperative movement saw a resurgence in the 1970s when many “second wave” cooperatives started. In the United States, the National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) is a cooperative federation that is composed of 146 food cooperatives.

I found the video below, which gives a tour of the Dill Pickle Food Co-op and tells more about it. There’s a lot of talk about membership, but the cool thing about Dill Pickle, is that anyone can go in and shop there, member or not.

Also, here’s a great writeup that Joanna did when Dill Pickle first opened.