Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative

Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative

Company type	Worker cooperative
Industry	Organic food retail
Founded	1975
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Products	Organic food
Number of employees	17 (2017)

Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative operates as a worker cooperative and specializes in organic food retail. It holds the status of a legacy business and is situated in San Francisco's Sunset District. This cooperative is one of only two grocery co-ops within the city, the other being Rainbow Grocery Cooperative.

History

Founded in 1975 by volunteer workers, Other Avenues Grocery Cooperative initially relied heavily on volunteers who also shopped there. It was part of the People's Food System, a broader network of food cooperatives that emerged throughout the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1970s. Following the dissolution of the People's Food System, the store faced significant difficulties. Shanta Nimbark Sacharoff, a veteran worker-member, reflected on this period: "It was incredibly challenging, particularly for a small operation like ours. We endured a decade marked by financial and organizational struggles — nearly closing down three times — yet the local community remained our backbone. Due to our relative isolation, those living nearby felt a strong connection to us."

In 1982, the cooperative relocated to its present address at 3930 Judah Street. Five years later, in 1987, it restructured into a "hybrid consumer-co-op." Despite many Outer Sunset businesses shutting down during the early 1980s recession, the cooperative persevered thanks to steadfast support from both workers and community members. By 1999, Other Avenues legally transitioned into a Worker-Owned Cooperative. The cooperative secured ownership of its retail space in 2008 with assistance from organizations such as Arizmendi Bakery, Cheese Board Collective, Rainbow Grocery, Veritable Vegetable, and contributions from its members.

In 2016, PM Press published a book chronicling the cooperative's story titled "Other Avenues Are Possible." On January 20, 2017, in an act of protest against the inauguration of Donald Trump, the store temporarily closed by unanimous agreement among its 17 staff members. The following year, it was officially recognized as a Legacy Business by San Francisco authorities. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the cooperative maintained full employment without layoffs. Various media outlets suggested that worker-owned businesses like Other Avenues were better positioned to manage pandemic-related challenges.

The store's exterior features a mural created by Carlo Grünfeld, an artist based in San Francisco.