Albany dance caller Paul Rosenberg still has his 1995 receipt from the Honest Weight Food Co-Op. He was the first customer when the store opened its doors at 484 Central Ave., and its last when it closed them.
And on Wednesday, June 19, holding his original receipt like a golden ticket, he was the first out of 2,500 customers to make a purchase at the co-op’s new, much larger, home at 100 Watervliet Ave.
“It’s pretty wonderful. I’ve been waiting for it for however many years it was in the planning. It’s definitely a huge, huge improvement,” Rosenberg said.
Granting Rosenberg his wish embodies the co-op’s cornerstone: a sense of community. The member-owned, operated and self-governing organization follows “social and economic ethics” and has a strong focus on local, healthy and diverse products. Since finding a home in the Capital District in 1976, the co-op has started a new chapter by settling into a brand new 30,000-square-foot facility. Construction began on the store in August.
The 18,000 square feet of retail space doubles what was available at the former Central Avenue location. Though much like a conventional grocery store, there are no products with artificial preservatives, flavorings, additives or artificial coloring. The store has about 130 employees and nearly 9,000 members, although customers don’t have to be a member to shop at the co-op.
While many things remain the same as at the former location, several sections have been expanded. The bulk section now offers more than 800 products at a given time, including nuts, grains and spices. Customers are able to purchase the exact amount they want to, and are also recommended to bring their own containers to help reduce waste.
“This is a real destination for people who like to shop economically. It’s the largest bulk department in the Northeast,” co-op spokeswoman Lily Bartels said. “It’s a great spot to explore for the adventurous eater trying new things.”
Looking at the bulk section, Alex Duncan, a customer who recently moved to Niskayuna from Atlanta, said he heard of the store on the Internet and was intrigued.
“It’s been a little difficult finding stores like this here,” Duncan said.
He said he’s mostly attracted to the “unusual things” you can’t find in other stores, like a variety of beans and nuts.
“The variety is unbelievable,” he said.
The popular cheese department has local and international cheeses, and Bartels said there are cheese samplings “constantly, all day.”
Knowing products are locally-sourced, Bartels said, has always been important to the co-op’s customers. Keeping that in mind, photos of local farmers, including Stony Brook Farm in Schoharie and Wrong Direction Farm in Canajoharie, are placed above the meat section to “put a face on the other end of the supply chain.” The new store also has a smoke room for meat.
For the first time, the co-op has a spot for fresh fish, which Bartels said wasn’t possible due to space limitations in the older store.
Other newer features include a largely expanded to-go section, like a fresh salad bar, pizza and sandwiches to order, as well as a larger bakery section. The new location has a first-ever coffee and juice bar with organic smoothies.
Adjacent to the coffee bar is a comfortable seating area created from locally refurbished material, including farm tables by Silver Fox Salvages in Albany made from beams removed from an old army depot in Rotterdam.
“When people come and sit in our café, they’re touching a bit of local history,” Bartels said.
Outdoor seating will be available, as well.
One of the store’s biggest upgrades is to offer participatory classes on health and sustainability right in the co-op. Classes range from “Cooking Grass-fed Meat” to “DIY Yogurt Making” and are free unless materials are needed.
Eileen Parzek, of Chatham Center, used to live in Albany and has been a member of the co-op for about five years. While she’s moved away, she said working in the area allows her to still shop at the store.
“I’m gluten-free and soy-free. This is a great place to come and find things,” she said. “And there are so many friends here, I’ve already seen like six people I know.”
Parzek also highlighted the customer service. Bartels said all of the staff can talk knowledgably about the products and can point customers in the direction of the product they’re looking for.
The new store also has 150 parking spots and numerous bike racks, which Bartels said is a huge improvement from the older store’s messier parking situation. Having the new facility on Watervliet Avenue allows for much more accessibility as it is right off of Central Avenue and I-90.
With similar stores gaining popularity in the area, Bartels said expanding Honest Weight would help them remain competitive and “serve the community better.”
“Our huge focus at Honest Weight has always been local. We’re very, very committed to the local economy, local products, local farmers,” Bartels said. “Shopping here means that a much higher percentage of the dollars they spend with us remain circulated within this area.”