When I told a friend who has lived in Oak Park for almost 30 years that I was planning to write a story about the Sugar Beet Food Co-op, she responded that she had never been there.
“Why would I go there? They only sell local produce and there is no parking,” she said.
She was wrong on both counts, as there is a parking lot across Grove Avenue as well as street parking, and the co-op sells much more than local organic produce.
I found Sugar Beet Food Co-op, located at 812 Madison St. in Oak Park, to be an impressive and clean grocery store. It is smaller than local “big box” grocery stores, but it sells much more than produce.
On a recent visit as I took my grocery cart up and down the aisles, I saw bulk candy, grains, and baking items, coffee to grind, frozen foods, dog food and treats, snacks, Publican Bread and other bakery products, and much more. I was impressed with the selection of food that is gluten-free and saw that the Simple Mills brownie baking mix that I often buy was cheaper than at our larger local supermarkets.
When I first read the word co-op in the title, I had visions of my college days and volunteering at a local co-op and bagging granola. Shoppers do not have to bag granola or volunteer.
Sugar Beet Co-op has 3,000 member/owner households who pay a one-time fee and get special discounts. And there are many more people (including this author) who are not members but shop there.
On a recent shopping trip, I saw a large selection of wines and beers, fresh soups, socks, and a large display of chocolate. There is also a grab-and-go selection of salads and sandwiches and a counter that sells smoothies and cups of coffee. Several women were sitting at a table drinking coffee and visiting.
Sugar Beet Co-op was founded in 2012 by Oak Park residents who sat around a dining room table and came up with the name Sugar Beet Food Co-op. The name spoke to local agriculture and sustainability roots while focusing on the sweetness they hoped to bring to the community.
Their goal was to provide the community with more local and sustainable healthy food options and give more direct connections between customers and producers. The building opened in 2015.
I thought about Sugar Beet recently during the economic boycott day this winter. While our community has many independent coffee shops, bakeries, stores, and restaurants, Sugar Beet is a place where you can buy staples. According to their website, “Sugar Beet Food Co-op emphasizes and celebrates local vendors, champions and supports businesses owned by people of color and women, and facilitates producers and local farmers becoming vendors.”
This column is called “Favorite Things,” and I like to ask about the favorite things from the people involved in the stories I write. Katie Fountain, general manager at Sugar Beet said, “One of my favorite parts of working at Sugar Beet is our deep connection with the community. We host the Oak Park Artisan Market monthly, featuring local artists, makers, and producers. It’s a fantastic way to highlight emerging entrepreneurs; several have even transitioned into becoming vendors in our store. A recent success story is Kindly Caramel, an all-natural, low-glycemic caramel made with dates, sesame, and sea salt.
“I also love that we offer programs designed to make healthy, local food more accessible for everyone. Our Food For All program provides a 10% discount to customers who utilize SNAP, WIC, or have a reduced/fixed income; they can self-identify to sign up. Customers who use their LINK card can use the Link Match program, which provides vouchers for fresh produce by matching up to $10 of LINK purchases per day.”
Katie says that “seeing our community-owned grocery store supporting our neighbors with healthy food options, fair prices, and a welcoming environment is fulfilling. These initiatives, and the passionate people behind them, make working at the Sugar Beet Food Co-op truly special.”
For more information, readers can call 708-948-7656 or go to their website at www.sugarbeet.coop
Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who writes stories for Wednesday Journal about her favorite things in the village.
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