Where have all our buddies gone?

Where have all our buddies gone?
Many people discuss the issues of financial stability of the Briarpatch: will it outlive the doom of impending national economic disaster, can it pay off its huge debt, etc.? Perhaps the deeper core issue the loss of many of the old customer base that sustained the Briarpatch’s success for 34 years. No one expected a mass exodus of the regular folks previously considered the mainstays of our favorite local co-op. The anticipation of plenty of parking, wider aisles and more stuff to buy was positive and high, the opening party in June looked like an indication of success and so many people praised the benefits of a new deli. What happened? Why are owner-members, even a few Briarpatch founders, shopping at the Sierra College Drive store less or not at all?
When I ask friends what keeps them away from the new green organic paradise, answers fall into specific categories:
- The prices are too high
- Authoritarian management practices as well as a resentment of that misplaced guy from Safeway, of all places.
- Too many of our staff friends have been fired and we hear many stories of harassment by management.The new store location is too far away now .A sense that we don’t belong there anymore.
- Theories of “ethnic purging”, yuppification, the image is too corporate, the social experience of shopping at the Briarpatch has disappeared.
- Theories of corporate takeovers including rumors of Whole Foods buying us out soon
- Just plain dissatisfaction with the newness of it all. Remember those wonderful aromas of those smaller health food stores, many of which are still functioning: Corners of the Mouth in Mendocino, Tahoe Natural Foods at the Y, Natural Selections and even the Joerschke store?
- Too much stuff from China, GMO’s, water from Finland. A few members are offended by the fancier products on the shelves.

I still buy groceries at the Briarpatch. I like the new ambiance. The river running along the concrete floor is pleasant and I enjoy the larger selection of goodies. But, I shop at the BP less often because of the lack of cooperative management practices. I feel sad that Anje and Scot no longer brighten up the day with a hug or a howdy and I resent the physical assault by a manager upon an existing employee. I feel uncomfortable with the fact that he still works there knowing that, if the tables were turned, a physically violent employee would have been fired on the spot. But, I hope that my work with the Friends will bring about a change of this dictatorial style of management.
The Briarpatch is a cooperative and a democratic opportunity unlike privately owned establishments. However, few owner members vote during Board of Directors Elections. Out of over 3000 member households,generally only 160 vote each election. Those statistics are sad,indeed. If you are feeling dissatisfaction with the way things aregoing, you can change the constituents of the Board of Directors to a more owner-friendly group this May. Democracy is a participatory institution and I urge you to research the issues and ABOVE ALL, VOTE!!!
Also, we do need the Briarpatch to survive financially while we work out the kinks. I urge you to continue to shop there and to voice your praises and your concerns loudly. Also, though board meetings can be frustrating due to the lack of cross-talk, you can still exercise your cooperative democratic freedoms by speaking out at the Public Comment times. And, we are more likely to see changes become realities if we ARE the change rather than if we abandon the ship.
I have done a survey of the price issue by skulking around all 4 healthfood stores and the SPD to see if the perception of higher costing goods at the Briarpatch is accurate. Sometimes, bright and shiny stores convey a sense of expensiveness rather than the actuality of higher prices. Below, you will see that, in general, NaturalSelections wins the prize for lower prices, but not always. For those of you who feel that shopping at Grocery Outlet gives you huge savings, please check out the origins of their produce, the freshness dates of pre-packaged foods and even their management practices. Certainly, the owner of California Organics has a reputation of archaic management practices and pays employees very low wages with no question of definitely firing them “at will”.
I hope this article stimulates much discussion. I am positive we can find solutions to the above problems as the democratic cooperative that we are.
Cecilie Hooper

All products are organic except Way Yum Sushi.

L/G Brown Rice Bulk Walnuts Way Yum Sushi Smith Cabernet
BPatch $1.34/lb $10.05/lb $5.75/5 oz. any type $15.39
Cal Org $1.59/lb $--- $ ---- $13.99
SPD $--- ----- $5 / 5 oz. any type $14.99
Nat. Vly $1.34 $10.38 $5 / 5 oz, any type -------
Nat. Sel $1.29 $9.45 $5 non-fish, $12.55 $5.50 w/ fish

Green Forest T/P Tomatoes Bananas
BP $1.49 on sale $2.79 / lb $.99C/Org $ ----- $1.89 $.89
SPD $1.79 not on sale $3.39 $.99
Nat Va $ --- $3.21 $.99
Nat Sel $1.69 “ $2.45 $1.05