A SHOPPING ALTERNATIVE
The 1970s saw thousands of food cooperatives open in cities across the nation, catering to a more food-conscious consumer with their emphasis on bulk foods, organic and fair-trade goods, and anti-corporate, at times even utopian, approaches to food distribution. Many of these member-owned and operated grocery providers have shuttered due to market pressure in the decades since, but some remain as strong as ever, filling a vital and often money-saving niche in their communities while standing in stark contrast to the profit incentives underlying most food stores and other business ventures.