Pogue's Run Grocer, the city's first food cooperative, will celebrate its grand opening Saturday at its Near-Eastside location after three years of hard work by neighbors and community members.
Being a co-op means that Pogue's Run's members democratically control the small, nonprofit grocery, which offers fresh, local and organic produce, natural and organic groceries, bulk foods and a deli.
It also means that Greg Monzel, the store's general manager, works for the 330 members — something the herbalist and former organic farm and health-food store manager is excited about.
"It feels great to be so embraced by the community," Monzel said. "Members and neighbors alike have expressed their eagerness to buy fresh local foods in their own neighborhood. As a neighbor myself, I feel relieved to walk home from the store with a big bag of fresh food that I don't have to worry myself about the social injustice or environmental degradation involved in the production of that food."
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