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The Hyde Park Co-operative Market has faced some trying times recently. They closed their 47th Street location in 2005, but are still paying rent on the empty store space due to a lease in which they're locked in until 2023 that's held by Certified Grocers, who also serves as the co-op's supplier. While they've been paying rent on the 47th street location, they're a year behind on rent at their 55th Street store (note: Adam Peltz at Chicago Menupages writes that if you want to read that link, do so now before the new version of the Hyde Park Herald goes online). Board President James Poueymirou said the financial condition of the co-op is the worst it's been in 75 years.
The Co-Op board is holding a community meeting to determine the future of the co-op at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, Monday at 2 p.m. On the table for discussion are restructuring their debt so that they maintain good terms with their vendors, taking out a commercial loan to cover the debts, or declaring bankruptcy. Co-op shareholders will be given ballots at the meeting listing the options; the ballots will be due by Dec. 7. The results will then be published and action will be taken accordingly. Another possible solution rests with the University of Chicago, which owns the 55th Street store's space. They've suggested relieving the co-op's debt in exchange for leasing the space to another grocer.
In short, it's gut check time for the Co-op, and no one's certain what the future holds.
Image via Hyde Park Co-Op website.
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This might be the worst grocery store I've ever been in. Completely disorganized, with the strangest price structures. They have random things for really cheap but have staple items that are really expensive, plus a lot of it looks like it fell off the truck. You can't even find things you'r looking for because they have 'stuff' just randomly aligned in aisles where it doesn't belong.
The only reason the co-op has lasted this long is because there isnt a 'normal' grocery store- jewel or dominicks- within several neighborhoods.
I will be very happy to have the co-op shut its doors effetively immediately and a new grocery store with some sense of customer convenience and apppreciation open up.
My favorite Co-op story was when their scanners were down for about two weeks a few summers ago. They were just handing out pieces of papers and pens and telling customers to write down the prices of the items they wanted to buy. We kept joking that the honor system isn't a great way to run a store.
I cannot recommend Hyde Park Produce enough. Fantastically friendly people, fresh vegis, and delicious guac.
the people who are lamenting the downfall of the co-op (i've seen another chicago blog sounding very sad about the whole situation) are people who i suspect have never lived in hyde park. sure, everyone likes the sound of a non-corporate grocery store, until that's the only grocery store you can shop in for 4 years. everything huckeyes said is dead-on. two summers ago i tried to go shopping one day and their computers were down. they then continued to be "down" for several weeks afterward. i had to write down the prices of everything i wanted to buy and present the list to the cashier when i was done. what?!
seriously, find me some hyde parkers that will be genuinely sad to see this place go.
Yeah as a student, its probably best that the Co-op closes down its doors. Hopefully it'd be replaced by someone who can compete, its sounds like that's what the University is trying to achieve. So vote for that, if you can.
I wonder if this post will get as much traffic as when Crunch closed. I'd take the Co op in a minute. It beats Tangus in Logan Square, its bad enough that the meat is often times bad, but now they don't even sale beer in more!
Jesus H Christ on a Pop Sickle Stick!
I thought it was the Cheetah Gym that closed, not Crunch.
Opps!
+1 to Spook,
That's funny too, been walking down to tianguis for years and one night I roll in there to quickly grab some beer to take to a party and what!? it's gone!
Yeah, when I first started at UC, on the tour they 'proudly' proclaim, "Hyde Park doesn't have any chain groceries, but we have two wonderful co-ops." (One's since closed, of course.) I thought that was pretty neat. Then I shopped at one. Dirty, disorganized, low quality goods. Just a really disappointment. I say, bring on the chains.
A "Love Affair with Wonderful Foods?" More like an abusive relationship it's way past time to get out of...
We had an Osco on 53rd close down, and its been sitting vacant for months now because the Co-op whines every time someone tries to get permission to open a new grocery.
As eager as I am to see the Co-op die, I'm more eager to see what happens to Hyde Park once its influence is gone.
And, yeah, if you wanna read the original article, hit the HP Herald site now- they're unclear on this whole "internets" thing, so they don't have archives and the website is a JPEG regurgitation of the whole paper each week. This is SUCH a weird neighborhood...
Hyngry for Change? Sick of the Co-Op? If you are a Hyde Park Co-Op member, Vote for Proposal A, it is the best option to getting a better grocery store in Hyde Park.