How (Organically) Sweet It Is: Flatbush Food Co-op Celebrates Grand Opening of New Store, Triples in Size
May 16th, 2008 by EthanThanks for visiting! Subscribe to the RSS feed, receive posts via email, or find other ways to subscribe in the 'Subscribe' box to the left. Thanks again and see ya soon.
It started in 1976 as a neighborly neighborhood buyers’ club of 11 community-minded and natural food loving folks in Midwood, Brooklyn.
31 years and 3,000 members later, the Flatbush Food Co-op is set to swing open the doors to a gorgeous new space that is triple the size of its original retail store across the street on Cortelyou Road.
Sunday, May 18th is set to be a milestone day for sustainable and organic food in Brooklyn, as Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz cuts the ribbon on the new space — which is located at 1415 Cortelyou Road.
The day — which kicks off at noon — will mark the official opening of the store with the ribbon cutting ceremony at 1pm and then a celebration including: music, free samples, product demos, raffles, and children’s activities, as well as the chance to be the among the first to shop the store’s many offerings.
New features of the community-owned store are too many to list, but include: a prepared-food and deli section; soup and salad bar; organic coffee and juice bar; and a greatly expanded bulk section with unpackaged nuts, grains, and seeds, as well as herbs and spices. The grab-and-go section spotlights ready-made meals, while other new products include fresh popcorn and peanut butter, bulk cheeses, fresh fish, and organic meats, and fresh-baked artisan breads and desserts.
The new store also has an expanded health and beauty aids section and a greater selection of local foods and fair trade products. A Healthnotes touch-screen kiosk — to be installed soon — will provide helpful information about food and nutrition.
But as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. So have at it (and click them for larger images):
 New Storefront |
 Fresh Organic Produce |
 Bulk Nuts, Grains, Seeds & More |
 Welcome to Your Community- Owned Natural Foods Store |
 Wellness & Personal Care |
 Grab-N-Go, Deli Shop, Coffee & Juice |
The anticipation about the opening — and what it means to the Brooklyn community — is summed up nicely in a statement by General Manager of the co-op, Barry Smith:
“We’re excited that after years of searching for the right new location to expand our services to the community, we are able to stay in the same neighborhood and cause minimal disruption to our members and shoppers with this move. We expect that our new store will allow us to continue to contribute to the growing vibrancy of the Cortelyou Road retail area.”
More information about the opening day festivities:
When:
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Noon - 5 p.m.
Ribbon Cutting: 1 p.m.
Confirmed in attendance:
Marty Markowitz, Borough President
Rhoda Jacobs, State Assemblywoman
Jim Brennan, State Assemblyman
Simcha Felder, City Councilman
Where:
1415 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, NY 11226
The store will be open for business from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m.
More info about the co-op here: www.flatbushfoodcoop.com
Download a Brief History of the Flatbush Food Co-op (doc).
Congratulations to the Flatbush Food Co-op, all its members, and area residents (who are in for a treat).
So fire up your pots and pans, grab your recipe book and chef’s apron… Time to get ready for some seriously incredible sustainable eats.
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July 17th, 2008 at 8:11 am
This is one of my favorite food stores because of its large selection of organic produce. I’ve been going here since I moved into an apartment at Flatbush Gardens. I’m a fitness fanatic and this location is great for taking jogs and walking around the community.