South Philly Food Co-op (SPFC), a community-owned, full-service grocery store will open on Wednesday, December 23 at 12 PM, after 10 years of collective organizing, fundraising and volunteerism and nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic and all the challenges the current landscape brings. A community hub providing South Philly residents of all income levels access to fresh, local, and sustainable groceries, the store will embrace SPFC’s mission and use “Food as a Force for Good” daily.
Located at 2031 S. Juniper St. (between Snyder & McKean Streets) the 3,300 square feet store’s hours of operation are 9 AM-9 PM, seven days a week. It will offer products from over 20 hyper-local vendors such as Philly Fair Trade Roasters with plans on expanding their portfolio of local makers in the coming months. Additionally, the store will feature a vast selection of accessible, fresh products including seasonal, organic produce from Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op, pasture-raised meats like ground beef ($7.99/lb) from Stryker Farm, fresh fish like Chilean Salmon ($9.49/lb) from family-owned Samuels Seafood Co and local dairy farmed cheeses like Calkins Creamery Noblette Brie ($7.69 per 1/4lb portion) from Third Wheel Cheese Company. Additionally, the store will have a buy-in-bulk section featuring over 50 items including beans, flour, granola, nuts and more.
Member-ownership of South Philly Food Co-op comes with exclusive perks such as member sales, discount days and exclusive access to the Shop South Philly program. The equity attached to member-ownership is $300 and may be divided in as many as 12 installments. Those without these means are invited to join SPFC through their Community Equity Fund. On December 14, SPFC surpassed its opening goal of signing up over 1,400 member-owners. To become a member-owner, visit this link. Although South Philly Food Co-op is member-based, anyone is welcomed to shop the store.
“I am ecstatic we are opening after ten years of hard work and dedication,” says Lori Burge, General Manager of South Philly Food Co-op. “Having an incredible community of friends, board members, partners, volunteers and staff who have helped us every step of the way makes opening a grocery co-op during a global pandemic extremely rewarding and showcases the importance of how Co-ops benefit neighborhoods.”
South Philly Food Co-op is following all CDC guidelines, which include limiting the number of shoppers allowed in the store at one time to 12, installing social distancing markers around the store as well as plexiglass barriers, and daily cleansing and sanitization. The store will also reserve Wednesdays between 9 AM-10 AM for at-risk shoppers only. SPFC also has an online store with local delivery via a partnership with Bloc Delivery. A curbside pickup program will be initiated in the coming weeks. In keeping with the co-op principles of fair treatment of workers, SPFC will be providing hazard pay to all employees as well as paid time off that they can use in case anyone has to go into quarantine.
