Food Co-Op to Open Store in Borough

Imagine if you could make one stop and get a variety of fresh food from local farms everyday, year-round?

While starting this fall, you will be able to in Doylestown.

The Doylestown Food Co-op is opening a store on West State Street. The organization plans to move into the location in early September and hopes to open its doors to the public in November, according to President Lisa White. 

The co-op store’s future location is currently home to Eden Organics, which is moving down the street. 

The 1,400-square-foot space will be a grocery store unlike any other in the area—you will know where each item came from and how it was produced, White explained. 

The store will sell vegetables, fruits, meats, dairy products, cheese, soaps and more. Currently, at least 45 producers have been identified, according to White.

“The focus of our store will be on local products,” White said. But there will also be bulk products like grains and beans that may not be local, she added.

While the Doyelstown Food Co-op is made up of more than 250 members, anyone will be able to shop at the store. 

“Members do receive benefits,” White explained, including pride of ownership and pre-ordering abilities. “We are a small store. You may have things that are out if you haven’t pre-ordered them,” she said.

White said many members have worked hard over the past few years to make the dream of opening the store a reality.

“One of the wonderful things about a food co-op is the amazing number of people who believe in this and who are working so hard. I’m just one of many people who are making this happen,” she said. 

The effort to make fresh, local food available to all in one location has many benefits, for both the consumers and the farmers, White explained. 

“We genuinely believe that as we do this, farmers will put more land into production,” White said, noting that many local farmers have closed due to the high cost of owning land in Bucks County.

In addition to planning the future store, the Doylestown Food Co-op holds regular events with the goal of educating the public about the benefits of knowing where their food comes from.

Coming up, the Doylestown Food Co-op is holding a Farm to Table Tapas Dinner at Honey Hollow Farm in Solebury on Aug. 24. Click here for details. 

And on Aug. 13, the organization’s monthly book club will meet at the Doylestown Book Shop to discuss “The Feast Nearby.”

“We’re really trying to educate our community about the value of eating local for the health of our bodies, our communities and our planet,” White said.

Click here to visit the Doylestown Food Co-op website to learn more.