Willy Street Co-op began construction on a second store scheduled to open in February of 2008. The store will be located downtown on the corner of Mifflin and Broom streets.
The store will provide a natural, organic and local food source for those who live and work downtown,"" said Willy Street Co-op Communications Manager Brendon Smith. Smith added that the new store will take the UW student population into account when deciding onoverall product merchandising. The downtown store will offer more prepared foods and deli items than the Willy Street Co-op on the east side one at 1221 Williamson St. However, it will offer less health and wellness products because of the stores proximity to the Community Pharmacy at 341 State St.
Smith stressed that the new Willy Street Co-op - Downtown does not wish to take away business from local grocery stores, saying he hopes the co-op will affect other businesses and the community as a whole in a positive way.
John Leemkuil, owner of Capitol Centre Foods, located across the street from the Willy Street Co-op - Downtown site, agrees that the co-op should not affect their business in a negative way, ""[Willy Street Co-op carries] totally different products than we do, and our hope is that it may complement us rather than compete."" Smith stated there is only a 3 percent product overlap between the two stores because Willy Street Co-op focuses on natural and organic products whereas Capitol Centre Foods carries more conventional grocery products.
""[The Willy Street Co-op - Downtown is] going to be new, and people are going to explore it, but hopefully they will be happy with both stores, and we can complement each other,"" Leemkuil said. Smith also emphasized the benefit Willy Street Co-op - Downtown hopes to bring to the community. Willy Street Co-op has a history of sponsoring community events, providing donations to causes and being a resource for information.
Willy Street Co-op is unique because it is a grocery store that people can become members of and own. Memberships cost $10 a year for seven years or a single payment of $58, Smith said. Anyone can shop at the co-op, but nonmembers pay an extra 10 percent of the shelf price for a product. Members of Willy Street Co-op request new products as well as changes in the store, and, according to Smith, the co-op board listens. At members' requests, the east side co-op has installed solar panels and implemented an online shopping program where customers can have their purchases delivered to them or ready to go at the store.
For more information about Willy Street Co-op - Downtown, visit the co-op's Web site at www.willystreet.coop.
Willy Street Co-op has ensured customers that prices will remain the same at their new location. Assuming Capitol Centre Foods does not alter its prices, here is how the two stores compare on selected items.
|*Product*:|*Willy St. Co-op*:|*Capitol Center Foods*|
|1 Pint Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream|$3.99|$3.99|
|Amy's Cheese Enchilada Dinner - o Frozen, 9 oz.|$4.99|$4.9|
|Amy's Broccoli and Cheese Pocket Sandwich, 4.5 oz.|$2.50|$2.89|
|General Mill's Cheerios, 14 oz.|$4.25|$4.39|
|Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter, 16 oz.|$2.75|$2.89|
|Organic Bananas|$.99/lb|$.99/lb|
|1 lb. Organic Baby Carrots|$1.69|$1.89|
|Organic Valley 2% Milk, A,A½ Gallon|$3.49|$3.99|
|Organic Valley 6 Large Grade A Brown Eggs|$1.85|$1.99|
|Shurfine Lemonade, 12 oz.|$.99|$.99|
|Soy Dream Original Soymilk, 32 fl oz.|$2.85|$3.15|
Willy St. Co-op Product
Capitol Center Foods Conventional Product
Kashi Honey Oat Waffles, 8 waffles - $2.95
Eggo Nutrigrain Waffles, 10 waffles - $2.79
PJ's Organic Beef Burrito, 6 oz. - $2.50
Tina's Red Hot Beef Burrito, 5 oz. - $.49
Pizzeria Uno Four Cheese Pizza, 15 oz. - $5.15
Digiorno Four Cheese Pizza, 12 oz. - $3.39
Annie's Organic Macaroni and Cheese, 6 oz. - $1.49
Shurfine Macaroni and Cheese, 6 oz. - $.75
Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter, 16 oz. - o $2.75
Skippy Peanut Butter, 18 oz. - $2.55
Organic Prairie Ground Beef 85% Lean, 1 lb - $5.79
Ground Beef, 1 lb - $2.69
Equal Exchange Coffee , 12 oz. - $7.55
Starbucks Ground Coffee, 12 oz. - $8.89
Organic Granny Smith Apples, $2.79/lb
Conventional Granny Smith Apples, $1.29/lb
