It was created for the people, by the people. It was founded on the principle of freedom and choice for all. It is a shining banner for liberty, and it is a grocery store.
The Citizen’s Co-Op opened July 2011 in downtown Gainesville at 435 S. Main St. as a democratic grocery that would utilize sustainable produce and support local farmers.
For its one-year anniversary, the co-op hosted a “Summer Survival Fest,” which featured local musicians, local food and the local sun.
Below the sweltering heat, organic lemonade and snow cones quenched loyal customers’ thirst.
Kenny Jewett, the co-op’s 29-year-old grocery manager, said every band that played in the festival is connected to the co-op in some way.
“Every band that is playing on Saturday is freakin’ fantastic, so really they’re all headliners,” he said, as reported by Lead Us Down online magazine. “We’re really lucky to have such talented, awesome friends that are willing to volunteer their time and energy on a Saturday to help us with this fundraiser.”
Since its inception, the co-op has relied on customer relations to stay afloat.
When sales are low, Jewett said the co-op reaches out to its members and has managed to bounce back time and time again.
The co-op was founded with an idyllic mission to create a community market that would harvest and thrive on every available local resource.
“I think that everyone should use local resources,” Jewett said. “I don’t see any reason to ship lettuce from other parts of the world when we have such delicious and awesome food right here.”
The co-op also makes it a priority to be environmentally conscious.
“We try to be sustainable in all aspects that we can,” Jewett said. “Down to the toilet paper that’s 100 percent recycled and the eco-friendly cleaners we use in the store, we try to be as green as possible.”
The co-op uses printer paper made from bamboo, and will soon bring BPA-free receipt paper into the store.
Jewett has been working in grocery stores for the past 10 years but said the co-op was a completely different experience.
“I’ve always been a fan of co-ops, and when there was an opportunity to work here, it really excited me, and it was just the perfect fit,” Jewett said.
Ashley Pennington, outreach coordinator for the UF Office of Sustainability, said of the co-op, “Their goal is to bring local to you.”
The only produce not grown by local farmers are essential items that shoppers buy year round but may not be in season regionally.
“I think it made me a more creative eater, because it makes you buy things in season,” said Sarah Martin, a 20-year-old environmental engineering major and co-op shopper. “Instead of buying apples or bananas every day, I can get something like a mango.“
By purchasing a $100 lifetime membership, residents can own stock in the co-op and gain partial ownership of the business. At the end of the fiscal year when the co-op turns a profit, members will receive 5 percent back on their purchases.
“On my second or third visit, they explained the process to me and what it was, but they never tried to sell it to me, which I liked,” she said.
Members also receive voting rights for electing board members, which gives them an opportunity to voice any changes they would like to see in the store.
“Recently they’ve been trying to get more dairy into the store like eggs and milk, and I’m going to support that,” she said. “But I think they have a good selection of everything else, and a lot of variety.”
The co-op aims to nurture the relationship between people and their food through active community outreach and educational programs, including workshops and classes focused on food production, preparation, nutrition, and food activism, according to their website.
“I could easily buy from somewhere cheaper or somewhere closer to me, but I like the idea that it’s not only organic, but it’s locally grown,” Martin said.
