Our new store is open at 2350 Marine Drive in Astoria! We have more great food, more parking and extended hours, open daily 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. The store opened following a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. Once we have a little more time in this space to get our bearings, we will have a grand opening on January 18 with door-buster deals, kid’s activities, samples galore and more! Stay tuned on details, but meantime we hope you’ll stop by to shop for groceries and try some of the delicious new foods our deli has to offer (including a made-to-order taqueria).
Closing Old Store
On Sunday, December 8 at noon, we closed our store at 1355 Exchange, saying goodbye to a beloved space that we’ve outgrown. This place is an important part of the co-op’s 45-year history. It helped nourish us in many ways for a decade. More than just a place to get groceries, it has been a source of steady income for local farmers and donations for non-profits. We have seen our own children and those who frequent the store grow up right before our eyes. It’s where we connected regularly with cool people in our community.
Our old store provided good jobs and a lively work culture. The little office in the back was crammed with ten workstations and also served as a break room and receiving area. As you can probably imagine, our staff is looking forward to not having to wheel groceries through the front door in the rain and having a nice place to relax and eat lunch without interruptions. Our new building will offer these amenities, but many of us will kind of miss the bonds and energy that came with a small crew and such close quarters.
Now we’ve nearly doubled our workforce in what feels like overnight. Much credit goes to our general manager, Matt Stanley, for wanting to preserve the special work culture that we created at our old store. Using a model from another co-op, he articulated this culture in a training and management document called “the co-op way”. It spells out how we treat one another like saying “hi” and not talking behind people’s backs. It reminds us to be “in the know” about things happening in the store and to strive to be high-achieving.
This is just one example of how your co-op and all the good things it embodies will live on, as we reopen at our new home. There are so many memories our old store on Exchange holds, but we will now have to carry them in our heads and hearts as we grow.
Our brand new building at 2350 Marine Drive in Astoria opens on Wednesday, December 11 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. More info…
Moving Sale
Update: Everything is now 50% off this weekend until we close our current location Sunday at noon.
Your co-op is gearing up for opening the new store by selling down inventory at the current location. Shoppers are stocking up and saving big during a moving sale while supplies last!
During our moving sale, we encourage you to pick up a few extra items to place in donation bins for CCA Regional Food Bank. You can also donate to the food bank by rounding up your purchase total, bringing a reusable bag and donating your bean or sharing pocket change. The food bank’s mission is to eliminate hunger and provide food to those who need it. We can’t think of a better time to raise funds for this awesome organization! Learn more about our Change for Community program.
Our vision for a bigger new store becomes a reality as we prepare to open the doors to our new space on Wednesday December 11 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.
The co-op’s newly constructed 12,000 square foot building at 2350 Marine Drive will provide four-times more space, plenty of parking, and new amenities. Every department is expanding, with a focus on fresh and a deli which will feature a hot bar, salad bar, and made-to-order foods. Read the press release…
Store Opening – Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2019
Re: New Store Opening
Ribbon-cutting ceremony planned, December 11
Astoria Co+op’s vision for a bigger new store becomes a reality as it opens the doors to its new space on Wednesday December 11 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m.
The co-op’s newly constructed 12,000 square foot building at 2350 Marine Drive will provide four-times more space, plenty of parking, and new amenities. Every department is expanding, with a focus on fresh and a deli which will feature a hot bar, salad bar, and made-to-order foods.
“Shoppers with any dietary restriction or preference will be able to find something they love. My busy family will be trusting the organic produce and quality meats we use in the deli when making dinner can’t happen,” Co-op General Manager Matt Stanley said.
The expansion fulfills a major goal of the co-op’s five-year strategic plan which aims to create a welcoming community store and thriving local economy. The plan, adopted by the co-op’s board of directors in 2014, included extensive outreach and reflected strong public support for expansion.
The co-op raised more than $2 million in local investments from its consumer-owners. This successful capital campaign was instrumental in leveraging additional financing to make the $10-million project possible.
The new location is the former home of Astoria Plywood Mill, a worker-owned co-op. The mill shut down in the late 1980’s and the City of Astoria embarked on a major environmental cleanup so the area could be redeveloped into a mixed-use neighborhood.
The co-op, formerly known as “The Community Store,” opened 45 years ago at a storefront near the Columbian Café on Marine Drive in Astoria. While the co-op has grown and evolved over the years, it’s focus on natural, organic and local foods remains the same. The co-op is a community-owned grocery store and all shoppers are welcome, no membership needed.
The co-op’s current location at 1355 Exchange Street in Astoria will close after Sunday, December 8. The co-op plans to hold a moving sale this week, discounting groceries, in order to sell down its inventory.
While the December 11 opening is considered a “soft opening” the co-op encourages everyone to come check out the new store. A grand opening celebration is being planned for January.
Media Contact: Marketing Director, Zetty Nemlowill
(503) 791-8869-cell
Food Bank Fundraiser
In December (2019), we’ll be asking shoppers to round up for Clatsop Community Action Regional Food Bank. The food bank’s mission is to eliminate hunger and provide food to those who need it. Staff and volunteers distribute about 1.5 million pounds of food throughout the county per year. Almost half of that is fresh food! It was the first food bank in Oregon to do a fresh mobile produce pantry.
Let’s raise funds for this awesome organization! Round up your purchase total, bring a bag and donate your bean, or share your pocket change. Click here to learn more about our Change for Community program.
Opening Date
We’re stocking shelves, testing recipes and putting the finishing touches on your new store and can hardly wait to welcome you inside so you can check it out! Our new location at 2350 Marine Dr. in Astoria will open on Wednesday, December 11 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. The co-op’s last day at the current location at 1355 Exchange will be Sunday, December 8. We will be having a moving sale, so stay tuned for details!
New store opening soon!
Come check out our new location at 2350 Marine Dr. in Astoria on Wednesday, December 11 following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. The new store will replace our existing location, providing needed space and amenities including an expanded deli that includes a hot bar, salad bar, taqueria and more!
Owner Appreciation
It’s a great time to stock up for the holidays! Co-op owners save up to 20% on a shopping trip. Here’s how it works:
- Spend less than $100, get 10% off
- Spend $100-$149, get 15% off
- Spend $150 or more, get 20% off
Enjoy special food and drink tastings with local producers and vendors. See our calendar for tastings times.
Not a current co-op owner? It’s easy to join! Learn more.
Please note: equity must be up-to-date to receive discount, which applies to items in stock and does not stack with case discounts.
Fall Bulk Sale
In honor of bulk foods week we’re having a sale! Save 20% on bulk foods, coffee, tea, spices and soap Saturday-Sunday, October 19-20.
This is a great opportunity to re-stock your pantries before the holidays and there are many benefits to buying in bulk. It’s great for your budget and the environment, since there’s less packaging required and you can buy just the amount you need.
Your co-op has plenty of bags and containers available, but you can also bring your own reusable containers. Just ask a cashier to weigh them and note the tare weight prior to filling.
Read more about the benefits of shopping in bulk.
Fall Update
As we write this, it’s a big day at the construction site! Refrigeration units arrived today and workers are installing them. Soon, they’ll hold the things you love like fresh produce, deli food, cheese and craft beer.
You’ve probably noticed that the exterior of our new co-op is receiving finishing touches. On the inside, a lot is happening! The basic interior infrastructure is in – wall framing, plumbing and electrical, and painting are complete. All of our refrigeration displays showed up and lighting is going in too. The building should get energized by Pacific Power this week!
The last week of October all of our equipment and furniture arrives. It will be a very busy couple weeks installing all of our kitchen equipment, office furniture, and store shelving. The entire Bogh Electric company staff will be working on our project to bring us to the finish line on time. Terry’s Plumbing and P&L Johnson have done an outstanding job keeping us on schedule too.
By mid-November we’ll be initiating our merchandising and stocking non-perishable products. At the same time, more finishing touches will be happening as we lead up to our December soft-opening.
We can’t wait to share our new co-op with you!