Local Food Co-op Draws 200-Plus Interested in Future

Square one has a lot of company. 

Around 220 people came out Wednesday, during a Flyers playoff game, to learn more about the potential Manayunk-Roxborough Food Cooperative and begin the path toward creating a local, community-owned grocery store.

With children running around and standing room only available at in Roxborough, organizers gauged the community's interest in launching a co-op, as nearby Weavers Way representatives answered questions and weighed becoming involved in Manayunk-Roxborough.

"There's no space picked out; there's no set features; nothing is decided," Manayunk Development Corporation Executive Director Jane Lipton said. "If and when we open a (food cooperative), it will be because all of us."

The process launched when a Manayunk property owner approached Lipton about hosting a Weavers Way at his store. When Lipton looped in Weavers Way President David Woo, she said she realized she put "the cart ahead of the horse," but that began a conversation that crescendoed . 

David Schiman, from Roxborough Community Acupuncture, worked to get residents out and eager. He's partnered with other residents to transform the area around Lyceum Avenue into a community hotbed, and thinks a Weavers Way or independent co-op would further that.

"One thing that I think we would get out of a Weavers Way is having an even greater sense of community," he said, adding the area around Weavers Way attracts other local businesses, which often contribute back to the local economy.

A Third Weavers Way?

Woo immediately provided those in attendance with a reality check by declaring that Weavers Way can't expand anytime soon. Its two-year-old store in Chestnut Hill stretches its debt too far to immediately invest in a third location. 

He did, however, explain the background behind the Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill co-op and what steps the Roxborough and Manayunk community needs to take before getting off the ground. For the community-owned group to take shape, it could take several years to launch.

"It involves doing a heck of a lot of work, then more work, then starting to operate the store itself," Woo said.

As a reference, Woo said Weavers Way's membership costs $400, paid in annual $30 installments. The co-op makes $15 million annually and has a membership of about 5,000 households.

At this point, the Manayunk-Roxborough co-op should start forming three committees—steering, legal/finance, and membership/outreach/volunteering. Those groups will form the rough outline of what a co-op could look like, including details on: membership dues, location, work requirements, and if they should partner with Weavers Way—among other things.

All specific questions directed at Woo came back to one answer: It's whatever the community decides, as each member has a voice. Lipton held off on directly pressing Woo to give his board a favorable opinion of the Manayunk-Roxborough co-op, but said the 200-plus people in attendance should be a favorable sign.

Community Reaction

As a reporter with a notebook, I fell victim to three people approaching me about signing up for committee work. After the meeting, people crowded around organizers with questions. 

Angie Mohammed tends a community garden at Manayunk and Monastery Avenues, which is where she learned about the meeting. She came out Wednesday night with her son, and is very interested in its potential.

"It seems like a great idea for the community. I just wanted to hear the info," she said.

Owner of in Manayunk, Moon Krapugthong said she cleared her calendar when she heard about the meeting.

"All of these people here send a real message. This is the best thing that could happen. I have strong support for this project," she said.

Donna Stasiorowski heard about the meeting through Schiman. She was familiar with Weavers Way and wanted to know more about the investment.

"It seemed like you had to be more involved, time-wise, in the past," she said. "This is just a fabulous thing for our community."

Keep up-to-date on the Manayunk-Roxborough Food Co-op through its Facebook page.