One old store + 500 members = The Willa-Mette Co-op
The Willamette People's food corp.
CYNTHIA ANDERSON
Originally published in the February 25, 1970
EUGENE REGISTER-GUARD.
RELATED CONTENT
"Dan's wife" makes the bagels; Mrs. Neusihin makes the
pickles. Granola - "a cereal that really stays crisp" - is
60 cents a pound packaged; if you bring your own container
it's 55 cents and you can buy as much or as little as you
need.
Willamette People's Cooperative, the corner grocery store
which sells these items, is a booming business. Two months
old, the grocery at 22nd and Emerald has over 500 members
(at $5 a share) and is grossing $700 to $800 a day. Already
there is talk about starting another co-op to handle a
volume which surprises even the organizers.
The place was started by a group of University of Oregon
students and their friends who wanted to sell groceries at
lower prices and to sell an idea - that a sense of
community can be created through common cause and need.
Transportation problems have blighted that community spirit
somewhat but volunteer sales help (20 to 30 clerks who work
without pay) continues strong behind the counter.
The co-op buys a lot of its stock in Portland and from
farmers, slaughterhouses and wholesalers around the
country. People have given cars (some of which won't run)
to the store for pickup runs by volunteer drivers. But
occasionally you won't find the Tillamook cheddar which
sells at 81 cents a pound or fresh eggs for 66 cents a
dozen.
You usually can find a good supply of fresh mushrooms at 62
cents a pound; olives at 75 cents a pint; brown rice, soy
flour, wheat flour, and three varieties of beans - all sold
at bulk prices. Whole milk is 88 cents a gallon (used to be
83 cents but inflation hits co-ops, too).
