For your convenience, your co-op will be open regular hours (8am–8pm) on Sunday, July 4th. We’ve got delicious seasonal favorites on sale for your celebrations including grill-ready, in-house burger patties.  Click here to find festive 4th of July recipes to pair with fireworks and fun times.

Our July Change for Community recipient is Oregon’s only statewide African American historical society. Oregon Black Pioneers illuminates the seldom-told stories of people of African descent in Oregon through exhibitions, publications, historical markers and creative projects.

While the organization is headquartered in Salem, its only staff member currently lives and works in Astoria, giving the North Coast a unique opportunity to learn about Black history. For example, OBP has partnered with Coast Community Radio to produce and broadcast “The Register”, a weekly radio show on the state’s most notable African Americans.

Other local OBP partners and supporters include Clatsop Community College, Clatsop County Historical Society, Fort George Brewery, Pacific Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Peace First Lutheran Church and now the co-op!

As a small non-profit, OBP relies on grants and community support. Outside of generous donations during Black History Month (in February), donor support is lean. So, support through the co-op’s Change for Community program in July will help sustain the organization during slower months.

Let’s raise funds for this awesome organization! Round up your purchase total or donate your pocket change. Through our Change for Community program, we’ve raised $88,119.02 in cash donations for local non-profits. Learn more…

Grilling season is upon us and we’re giving away a new grill to one lucky winner! Cook delicious co-op foods outdoors on this Weber Premium Charcoal Grill from City Lumber (value $175). Enter here for your chance to win.

Update: Contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, Vange Alderman!

Co-op owners, pick a shopping trip in May to save:

• 10% off purchase under $100
• 15% off purchase of $100 or more
• 20% off purchase of $150 or more

Equity must be up-to-date to receive discount. Applies to items in stock and does not stack with case discounts. Thanks so much for your support!

Not a co-op owner? No problem, you’re always welcome to shop, but if you’d like to learn about the benefits of ownership click here.

Take a break from cooking and enjoy lunch or dinner from our burrito bar! There’s something for everyone, including vegan, gluten-free and low-carb options. We’re all about quality ingredients, including 100% organic produce.

The grab-n-go burritos are available in the hot case, or you can build a custom burrito or burrito bowl.

Top Chef premiers April 1 and a scene from the new season was filmed at our co-op! The show will be set in Portland and chef contestants will take on challenges throughout the region including crabbing on the Oregon coast. The show airs on Bravo and streams on Hulu. Click here for more information.

Food buying habits have changed over the last year. People are not grocery shopping as frequently and one of the biggest challenges is keeping those produce perishables fresh. Help protect sensitive produce with this Produce Storage Guide and of course, don’t hesitate to ask a produce staff person for tips.

Our renewable energy project is coming to fruition, generating clean, renewable energy, and helping power our community-owned grocery store. This week we are completing installation of a rooftop solar array.

The co-op is the first retailer in the region to add a solar—an environmental and economical investment. The 51 kilowatt solar array will generate about a third of the co-op’s electricity, resulting in an estimated $500 per month savings. As energy costs increase, the savings will be significant: one estimate shows the co-op will save nearly $1 million in electrical bills over 25 years.

“We’re excited to model how a coastal business can successfully take advantage of solar energy,” co-op general manager Matt Stanley said. “This project reflects the cooperative model’s emphasis on environmental stewardship as well as the power of people coming together to make something extraordinary happen.”

The total cost is approximately $200,000 and includes a variety of funding sources in addition to our own capital. The co-op worked with Elemental Energy to install the system and secure grants. Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program participants were instrumental in the project happening.

“It is always a great day when we can partner with a small business like Astoria Co+op, to help power a brighter future for the community,” said Alisa Dunlap, regional business manager at Pacific Power. “We’re pleased that through our Blue Sky program Pacific Power customers can nurture more renewable power and support the goals of local schools, libraries and community centers and other essential services.”

Blue Sky is an opt-in program that gives Pacific Power customers the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint while supporting the development of new renewable energy. Through Blue Sky customers can also invest in qualifying, renewable energy projects for community-serving organizations. Since 2006, Pacific Power Blue Sky Block participants have supported more than 120 community-based solar, wind, geothermal and renewable energy projects across Pacific Power’s service area.

We will have to complete the inspection process before the solar system is up and running. Once that happens, we will have a monitoring page so you can see in real time how much power the solar project is generating. Stay tuned for more information!