Sacramento Co-Op plans to move to bigger, better location

If you’ve ever ventured out to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op, you were probably left with one major gripe when you left (aside from the cost of the goods themselves and the occasional whiff of patchouli oil, hopefully you were properly braced for those) -  the dreadful, tiny, constantly full parking lot.  That is one of the major ailments the Co-Op hopes to remedy in their proposed move down the street to R & 28th, near Temple Coffee.

The Co-Op now sits on the busy corner of Alhambra and S Street, where it has been since moving from Freeport Blvd in 1989, and has less than 60 spaces jam-packed into its parking lot.  The conceptual drawings for the new store location show plans for 61 spaces in the parking lot, as well as an additional 241 spots in a 4-story parking structure next to the store, most of which would double as parking for state workers during the day.

Conceptual Drawing of new store and parking garage

What’s more, the store would add about 6,000 square feet of retail space and consolidate all of their services and operations into one two-story building.  Currently, their administrative buildings are located across the street from the store, and the Learning Center & Cooking School, which opened in 2001, operate out of an adjacent building.

Before any further steps forward are taken towards breaking ground, the Co-Op’s Board of Directors must get approval to obtain financing from its 12,000+ owners in a vote projected to be taken sometime in March.  According to the update on their website, there will be information sessions held in the coming weeks to answer any questions that owners may have about the proposal.  Announcements on when these sessions are to be held will be made on the Co-Op’s Facebook page and website.  The new store’s projected opening would be in June of 2014.

Truly a local success story, the Co-Op has grown steadily through several moves over nearly 40 years, coming from humble beginnings as a food-buying group in 1973 to having over $26 million in annual sales today. It seems like they’re poised and ready to shed their old cramped shell they’ve outgrown for a roomier abode yet again, although we all know how hard it can be to get a new building built in Sacramento.

You too can easily become an owner of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op and have a say in this matter for as little as $30 (most of which is refundable if you change your mind) and a little paperwork.  Full details and the application form, as well as information on gardening and cooking classes, recipes, and more can be found on their website.

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