The Food Co-op — Restaurant in Port Townsend

I am posting this after years of shopping here as well as my family and friends shopping here. I feel the need at this point to make a comment after years of myself as well as family and friends having negative experiences with some of the staff here. I always felt this was a store that attracted people like me who care about the environment, care about equality, and try to live consciously, and many that shop here do, as well as some that work here. There are some very nice genuine people that work at the Co Op I have had good experiences with in the past but there are also a fair amount of people that work here who have been cold and sometimes downright rude and condescending towards me as well as family and friends through the years. I had an experience that you could say was the final straw that made me feel the need to leave this review. I was very tired from an overnight shift at work and was heading into the Co Op for a coffee in the morning, I have not been in much since the covid 19 pandemic has hit and was unaware of a designated immune compromised shopping hour. I came in exhausted from my shift and forgot to pull my bandana over my face as I entered the store, i was instantly treated as if i was one of the anti maskers that you see having temper tantrums in the media these days. I am most certainly not an anti masker and quickly pulled my bandana over my face a little embarrassed that I had been so careless. I sincerely appologized to the woman working and explained I was tired and didnt mean to come in that way, she gave me a judgemental look and said something along the lines of nevermind go get your coffee. However the whole interaction seemed a little rude and there certainly was no understanding on her part in my eyes that I had made an honest mistake. Later I was paying for my coffee and was a good 6 feet from the man in front of me in line when the checker said very bluntly "give him space" I appologized once again and was given no response in return. I have had many experiences similar to this through the years shopping here and know some friends who dont go here anymore because they feel unwelcome. The Co Op has great organic items and produce and I am grateful for that, however I wish that all of the staff working there would reflect the values that a store like this represents to people. We are all doing our best and please understand we have the best of intentions when dealing with this pandemic, however nobody is above human...

An absolutely wonderful store but the meanest, rudest, check out clerk I’ve ever met. There’s no need to prove you’re right when the interaction was so innocent and misunderstood. I let her know what was in a veggie bag and she responded “I know, you don’t need to tell me.” My partner was smiling and excited about being at another Co-op, and we shared our excitement to lighten her up, we thought there was a connection to the others and the clerk rudely shut my partner down by saying, “We have nothing to do with the other co-ops. It’s separately owned.” I had to interject by saying that the branding looked similar, that’s why we thought that. She coldly responded “They have the same branding but different ownership.” The worst part was after we walked away her whole personality sweetened with the next person. It’s unnecessary to have that energy, and to be like that. Sorry you’re having a bad day? It just groceries, and there’s no reason you should hate the job that you applied for. We won’t be back, so that we don’t have to ever see this rude...

I've been coming here off and on for about 5 years. I would give their produce department a 5 plus and it always smells so good when I walk in the door! I always know I can come here and get super fresh local and @ more reasonable prices than I would expect. I also appreciate their bulk food section which seems to be very well maintained. Unfortunately, their hot bar is often not well maintained. I think they should either give it up or give it the regular attention it needs so it remains fresh and fluffy - not crusty, dead and icky looking. Update: 12/24/24 - got some very moist turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans from the hot bar. I feel sorry for any vegetarian however, because the black beans were absolutely parched dry. Is it really that difficult to maintain what you put out? I think tending to issues like keeping your hot food fresh and replenished deserves much more attention than feeding the political zealots hooked on identity...