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| - In another intriguing turn of events for a Madison business, Willy St Co-operative is now supplemented by its sister store, the rebellious Middleton location, which hardly seems to fit in in the strip mall wasteland that is the Far West side. Having said that, I am vegetarian, and try to eat organic. You would think I am a huge fan of the Co-op. In all honesty, I'm just not sold.
Sure, the Co-op is close to home for us near East-siders. It's cute. It has impeccable foodstuffs. There are even folks playing music on the "street" outside. The atmosphere around the original location serves it well... But, yes, it ultimately ends up feeling contrived, corporate and cold.
Where the Co-op is struggling, I believe, is with the price, and the perceived value. After several years of digging deeper, reading reviews, and following this Co-operative corporation, I believe that there is a deeper public relations issue going on here. It seems most people believe the Co-op is, in fact, price-gouging. Sure, the products are generally high quality. But does that mean they should be marked up as high as they are?
I know I will get flack for this review. I can hear the angry mob of protesters at my door now... How can someone question "The" Co-op? Well, until Willy Street Co-op administrators can serve up some juicy details on the outrageous price, I will enjoy other nearby businesses that are not local-corporate, money-obsessive chains.
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