Chatham Real Food Market Co-op

Just read other reviews here, and I have to say, I object! to the criticisms.
Disclaimer: I am a member (which, as another reviewer has pointed out, does only have limited benefits), but I’m NOT employed or otherwise closely connected to employees.
The Co-​op has its issues, as any small business will, BUT it is so authentically and sincerely committed to providing local, wholesome food at a price they can afford to sell it at, that I absolutely cannot fault them, and will buy from them whenever I can.
I do think they sometimes mis-​price items, but they’re working on it. (I should point out that this can go both ways — high or low. I tell them whenever I think something seems really out of whack.) The problem is that they’re competing against behemoths like Price Chopper who can negotiate lower prices with producers and wholesalers — and then, when they drive places like the Co-​op out of business, offer us whatever they like AND price it however they like…
Please support them! Offer criticism! Take advantage of the MANY community events they offer!

My fam stopped in here for a tuna sandwich for the extended family. I told my mom that they didn’t have any tuna sandwiches based on my use of the world wide web. But my mom likes to create her own menu and had a lot of faith that they could possibly make tuna sandwiches out of bread and bran muffins. Turns out you can’t. I googled it and told my mom that the essential ingredient in a Tuna Sandwich is in fact Tuna. So, we didn’t buy anything, but the lady behind the non-​tuna counter was very nice and extremely kind to us. They had an amazing maple syrup collection, which is always a crowd pleaser for my brother and I, so I tried to convince my mom that Bread, Bran and maple syrup make a tuna sandwich but at that point she either saw through my ruse or had googled it herself.

Nice place, nice products, very nice staff. BUT it is incredibly overpriced. Example: A cheese from the Old Chatham Sheepherding company that I got at the Brewery for $ 18 was $ 24 at the Co Op. One more beef: it is NOT a coop in truth. Members get a 10% discount one day per year for the membership fee and it run by paid staff. I still go there for the organic products and convenience. Alternative is the ridiculously huge and unnavigable new Price Chopper.

Friendly employees? I had a really unpleasant experience in this shop. I went in when I first moved to the Chatham area, not dressed in an expensive manner or anything. The college-​aged blonde guy behind the counter was an incredible snot to me. I was almost shocked by how rude he was. He looked me up and down obnoxiously — I don’t know what this intended to communicate. At the time, I assumed it was that I wasn’t dressed like the second-​home crowd. (I was fully clothed. I was not dressed like Wonder Woman or something.) Then, when I attempted to ask a question about the co-​op, he just turned his back right in my face and pretended like he had something to do. I felt like Oprah walking into Trois Pommes. Just to buy a couple tomatoes and onions? I hung around trying to see if he would address me but he never came back. Eh, so I left. I live right around the corner. I’m not one of the second home crowd, lol — but belong to a local CSA and a co-​op elsewhere. I probably would have become a regular customer. If only I had known to wear my $ 350 horse-​boots.

Terrific selection of organic foods (think a tiny version of Whole Foods) and produce, with very friendly employees and good selection of rotating prepared food items. Unfortunately, it’s only open Wednesday — Saturday.