Comments on: Support a Local Business: Glut Food Co-op

By: William Haskett

William Haskett — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:40:14 +0000

I should have included outdoor and week-end markets for farm products (but also for other things) closer to the apartment majority than the city ’sfocus on RIA and 34th. st. wh

By: William Haskett

William Haskett — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:38:04 +0000

You may have heard that I am doing a history of MR, andI’d like to incorporate as an important part of it the history of GLUT. It is surely possible that one part of the present crisis/depression might be a return to a greater tolerance for cooperative elements of a family’s budget. Something like this was true in the depression of the 1930s, where choice was assisted by necessity. I have wondered if MR in general, or GLUT itself might make some sense of the nearly4/5 of MR’s population lives in the ethnically -diverse apartment houses. I canthink of some ways in which this might be done—van-carried methods of reaching them; ethnic foods and even restaurants in the closed or abandoned store-fronts; and other things that those who know the area much better than I do can think of for themselves—and I am interested in how all of this would create, perhaps, a new history for a small city. wh

By: Jerron Wesleyq

Jerron Wesleyq — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:59:13 +0000

Have been a customer at Glut for years and recently volunteered there – love the idea, the execution and the atmosphere. Definitely support charging people for bags or having Glut sell reusable tote bags, etc.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:28:55 +0000

I need to correct my post. The class was learning to cook for people living with HIV. Learned to cook higher protein foods. I remember we bought some good tofu. And of course did some shopping of our own.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 06:20:13 +0000

I was introduced to Glut Food by Food and Friends when I took a cooking class for people with HIV. My boss and I at the time took the class as a learning experience and we took a driving trip to Glut Food to do some shopping. I really like the store, but do not live near it. Since reading that Glut is suffering a bit financially, I do plan to get there more often. I do however remember it appearing a bit cluttered in the store. So I must agree with the one post I read about Glut mayb be in need of a bit of a clean up to make it more appealing to the general public. How about a suggestion box?

By: Sandra Eichbaum

Sandra Eichbaum — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:40:22 +0000

I have shopped at Glut since I moved to this area in 1972 appreciating Glut’s commitment to organics and fair pricing. I’m all for a bag charge. While appreciating Glut’s funky style, I think Glut should analyse itself. Has funky crossed the line and become an excuse for disorganization? Some suggestions. I would like Glut to improve walkability through aisles and to promptly restock bins and produce. Reduce clutter. If Glut is going to attract more customers, it will have to redesign its check out counters as the current system is pretty tight. Advertise! At least a sign viewable to passing cars highlighting local “in season” produce and other specials. Glut is a neighborhood institution. I wish it continued success.

By: Chris Doyle

Chris Doyle — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:07:06 +0000

Thanks for the input Jim. We started as a member co-op and evolved into a woker co-op. Who knows, we may end up coming full circle.
We also started with a no bag policy, Then started charging for bags, and now give them away. Both of these topics will be on the agenda of our next staff meeting. Chris

By: Jim Groves

Jim Groves — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:24:29 +0000

I love Glut and will continue, as always, to support it. Has Glut every considered a membership fee? It’s my understanding that the Takoma Park Co-Op has a membership fee ($100 for a lifetime membership or $? yearly). Then, once or twice a year members get an additional 5% off purchases. I would think that a quick influx of cash (I know at least 10 people would purchase lifetime mebership, which would be $1,000!) could help keep Glut going in the right direction. If some of that money was put into advertising/upgrading, it would really payoff I would think.

Another way to save money is to NOT offer anybags. Paper or plastic. Instead, you would have your reusable Glut bags that could be purchased. This is the way to get people to stop using evil plastic bags and just as resource draining paper bags.

Jim

By: Route 1 Growth

Route 1 Growth — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 03:40:58 +0000

Chris sent this along.
Thanks for your concern for Glut. Your information is correct. We are in a pinch between falling sales and rising expenses. The staff voted to reduce wages and benefits to try and break even. We anticipated a drop in sales because of the increasing availability of natural foods, but steep increases in health insurance, workmen’s comp ($3,000 to $25,000 a year), and liability insurance caught us off guard.

While the consensus in retail is that one must “grow or die,” we decided to stick it out in Mt. Rainier. Since 1972, we’ve been in a space that has been continuously operated as a grocery store since the 1930’s. Truth be told, when we were in a financial position to make a move some years ago, we couldn’t find an appropriate local space, and didn’t have the drive or ambition to make the move.

So we’re here in a neighborhood we love, operating at a scale that works for our style of management, but we have bad parking, a decrepit store, no storeroom in which to properly manage an inventory, and we have to pay higher prices to wholesalers because we’re their smallest customer. So it goes. On the positive side we own the building, are not yet in debt, and have great customers.

Organics are sometimes too expensive for the staff too (we charge ourselves the same prices we charge you). It’s always a dilemma for us because we want to sell (and buy) cheap food, but we’re acutely aware of how our purchases affect the planet, the workers who produce the food, and the workers who retail it. So we carry a mix of products but in produce its either local or organic. I wouldn’t overlook our produce entirely. Some products, like carrots and lettuce, are almost always competitive with supermarket prices. And we always have transitional or IPM Pennsylvania apples for less than a dollar a pound.

Nick, thanks for recalling the Glut history for us, and for all your support through the CDC, (which is working on a new façade for Glut and the other folks on our block).

We like to think the co-op movement of the 70’s played a role in increasing general awareness of food issues, so we welcome all the new choices we have, especially the growth of CSA’s and farmer’s markets. Locally, new choices will increase, especially with the mainstreaming of natural foods in supermarkets and the addition of a Whole Foods in College Park. While we don’t expect to regain lost sales, we do hope to survive as a neighborhood store with a lower sales volume. Managing that transition will be tricky.

In the past year we have upgraded our produce case and added nut grinders, but have put other equipment upgrades on hold. While we have cut labor hours, we are shifting some hours to extra clean-up, and hope to refurbish our bulk section soon. We also hope to increase our local advertising. In fact, if there are any graphics people who could help us out with that in exchange for food credit or Anacostia Hours, please let me know.

Thanks for all your supportive comments, ChrisATglut.org