Willy Street Co-op Marks Store Expansion

Willy Street Co-op, the Madison, Wis., area’s largest consumer-owned neighborhood grocer, is celebrating the expansion of its West location with special events and promotions the weekend of Oct. 26-28. The cooperative is also hosting Owner Appreciation sampling, giveaways and sales at all three of its locations the week of Oct. 22-28.

In honor of its birthday, the co-op holds an annual Owner Appreciation celebration; in 2018, the grocer turns 44. The West expansion celebration and Owner Appreciation coincide this year.

The Willy West Expansion project began in April and is slated to wrap up at the end of this month. The project added a second in-store dining area and broader aisles, in addition to providing space for expanded product lines in the produce, bakery, deli, beer and wine, and cheese departments.

Willy Street Co-op also relocated the community room to a more accessible location, allowing for more classes and community events for owners. Expanding the area also means that small businesses and organizations can rent the space for commercial food production, which the grocer believes will help grow the local food economy.

“The expansion project allowed us to not only make space for more local and organic goods, but to find ways to better serve our owners,” noted Anya Firszt, Willy Street Co-op’s general manager. “We have always believed in not only providing access to local and organic goods, but also giving a place for our owners to come together as a community. This expansion accomplishes that goal, and we are so excited to show our owners the new space.”

To mark the end of the project, Willy Street Co-op is providing food tastings for all, and family-focused events that owners can enter to win prizes. Owners can also take advantage of Owner Appreciation sales at all three co-op locations.

Anyone can sign up to become an owner for as little as $4. Willy Street Co-op currently has more than 35,000 owners.