Came here to look for something the other Olympia Food Co-op on Pacific Ave didn't have and this location has a more spread out footprint than the that one. However, I feel that the Pacific Avenue location's crowdedness makes it a little more fun to discover all the little culinary surprises the store has hidden away. What this location has in favor of it was one little wedge of cheese that we've been looking for forever since we moved to Washington State- a wedge of Brillat Savarin. For me, there is no other brie. One time I was at the Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley to find a blue cheese from Asturias when I saw the Brillat Savarin and insisted my mom get it for a party. She asked why the big deal and I said that it's the closest thing a cheese can get to butter. The cheesemonger standing in front of us looked up from his cheese sorting, looked us with crazy eyes and whispered, "No. It IS butter." He then stopped what he was doing to spread out a runny dab for her on a cracker and my mom saw the light. We were so excited about finally finding this cheese when other people heard my sister singing its' praises and they wanted it. There was only one wedge left, so my sister gracefully let another man have it. I mean, how else do you spread the gospel and make converts until other people have had their own spiritual experience. So we'll be back again with the hope that they restock. read more

Olympia Food Co-op - The king of triple creamy goodness- the Brillat Savarin. Save one for me! - Grocery Near Me - Olympia, Washington

wonderful....very very very helpful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!super food variety, etc !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nothing else comes close!!! read more

I make it a point to visit co-op's when I visit a new town. The Olympia Food Co-Op is wonderful. Really great staff, produce and a lovely prepared food section to grab some hot soup and a treat. They also have a nice garden. ENBC in their parking lot to sit and relax! read more

9 month expired cereal? Who is in charge of quality control here? It's my first time in and I regret signing up for the co-op membership. It's 2022 people!! It's not Covid that will get people sick here, it's food poisoning. read more

Olympia Food Co-op - Cereal that's nearly 1 year over the expiration date - Grocery Near Me - Olympia, Washington

I absolutely love the selection at this place. & they accept EBT which is good or those whom need that type of support. I wish it was closer toe but otherwise I loved visiting here and will return when in the area. read more

While I was originally exploring the west side (wassup Park Side Cafe!), it was a nice sunny afternoon and this location beckoned me to swing by for a visit. Like it's east side sibling, the selection is great. Actually, I also like to find great milled spice blends like chai and golden milk; I believe most often these places tend to have Blue Lotus Chai and some _I think_ have Numi's spice blends but Numi's tends to run on the tea bag varieties. If I had to pick my favorite thing, it's the whole setting: has a nice northwest simple design and situated in a cozy neighborhood spot. Also within walking distance to the water east down the hill. read more

I was a little hesitant to visit the store after reading some of the very negative reviews regarding this co-op. However when we went shopping there yesterday the store was very clean and the cashier was very friendly and polite. When we told him that we were members of an out of town food co-op he thanked us for shopping at the Olympia co-op. It was a very pleasant experience. read more

Way better than Trader Joes in quality. More responsibly sourced, yet a bit more expensive. But worth it. Customer service is usually excellent. It is tight in here when crowded, but still has a good selection and is worth shopping here. read more

Dear Robyn Thank you for your reply. You mentioned that you do not allow "hate" speech. However, what is acceptable speech for one person may be hateful to another. As a heterosexual person, the shirt the young checker was wearing was hateful to me, along with his dismissive aire. It's great that you offer job experience to those who need it. However, as an employer myself, I would consider that young man dangerous to hire and he didn't seem like he was lacking in job skills. He sounded intelligent and perfectly capable of thinking and performing logically. he just chose to let his personal beliefs get in the way of professional performance. I would not hire him for fear of being sued and alienating clients. Just my thoughts. I discovered the Farmer's Market and the people there are way more friendly and attentive. Thanks again read more

Super bummed to report that an employee *literally* followed and watched my partner and I after leaving the restroom as we were shopping for a post-hike snack. It was awkward enough that we left prematurely and settled quickly on a cookie instead of actual lunch. I'm assuming she was eyeing us as a means of preventing theft? I can only imagine what two folks might experience if they presented a little differently than we did. Super super cringey behavior - will definitely not be shopping here again & will be sharing this experience with other locals. @ this co-op, perhaps look into other means of community provision and care if your hope is to prevent theft? Also maybe revision your priorities if preventing theft of food in a global pandemic is at the top of your list... read more

The products they sell are very good but I don't know who their buying niche is. They are ridiculously expensive. I bought 2 pounds of cherries, 2 pounds of peaches and 4 bananas and it came to $32!!! Let's say the cherries were $5.99 a pound, which is what they are sometimes. So that's $12 what was the other $20? Peaches and for that matter cherries should be coming into their season now so they should be less than 5 or 6 dollars a pound. And I pay 79 cents a pound for organic bananas at Winco. Anyway, this store is obviously aimed at upper middle class households and not seniors on a fixed comfortable income, let alone low income families. If you are going to be self righteous about how wonderful you are, make it clear what your prices are. read more

Got some really yummy buttermilk and fruit here. Also a cookie for the monster. Don't forget to get the codes because the volunteer cashiers rely on you to know the codes. This was awkward being from out of town and not knowing that I should bring a note pad to write down each code for produce and other items I was purchasing. read more

Their selection of vegan lunch options is ridiculously scarce and extremely inconsistent. So disappointing to drive all the way there and them constantly being under stocked. Not to mention how crammed and small this coop is and how outrageously priced it is. Definitely would not recommend going to this place. Seems like it's been going downhill and it's not surprising. One more thing to take note is how rude and cold the staff here is. Seems like they get pissed off just seeing you enter the doors. Very unfriendly place which is extremely disappointing given the principles a member run food co-op is supposed to be founded off of. Won't be going back here ever again. read more

Bless this Co-op and it's vast supply of herbal remedies, biodegradable produce bags and the one associate that saw me come in with bags under my eyes from lack of sleep and pointed me in the direction of valerian root and melatonin teas. read more

I'm normally not someone who is bothered by a little dusty floor place but this is the dirtiest grocery store I've ever been to. Volunteers or not this is the most unfriendly grocery store except for when I lived in Manhattan. We moved from a small town with a locally owned grocery store and they couldn't have been more friendly and warm. Olympia itself is the most friendly place we've ever been so this seems out of place to us. The people working the front door counting customers don't make eye contact. Even when I sincerely asked a woman at the door how her day was going she didn't crack a smile, answer or make eye contact. The Pacific location is clean and friendlier. We recently moved to the Westside close to this location and were excited to support a co-op. Every time we've been here it's the same story, ice cold staff members who seem to be pissed off about working there. Selection is fine and we don't mind paying more but we don't want to spend any money at some place where the staff borders on rude. I can live with messy but not surly. To the management - I hope you are reading these reviews that comment on the staff and use it as a learning experience. You can and should do better. read more

Whenever I'm away from Olympia this is immediately one of the first places I miss. Reasons why I love the coop: -The prices are amazing. Compared to the co-op in Boston this place is dirt cheap. And you can feel good about buying your groceries here! -The majority of the produce is local and organic and everything is well labeled. -I love the cheese niblet basket and samples. If they only have extra large blocks of a certain kind of cheese if you ask nicely they'll cut you a smaller one. -Every month the coop has amazing specials too, so it's nice to go in on the first of the month and see what's on special. That usually indicates what I'll be eating a lot for the next month. -The bulk section! Particularly the pixie honey which is so cheap and delicious. And often you can special order things in bulk for a 10% discount. -If you can devote a few hours every week to volunteering they give you 25% off $100 of groceries. I will say that some off the staff aren't the friendliest but as someone who works in retail I appreciate that they aren't forced to be fake and nice. But I do avoid asking for help during the busy times. Oh and as other people have mentioned this place is small! Go before 11 or after 8 for a more pleasant shopping experience. read more

Wonderful community atmosphere and healthy, great produce and products. My wife is both vegan and gluten-free due to severe allergy and we find many delicious gluten-free and vegan products at the Food CO-OP, especially gluten-free and vegan breads and buns. Many friendly employees and volunteers. The Pacific location is a very convenient freeway off-ramp/on-ramp from I-5, the Rogers location seems to have a better selection of breads. read more

Ahh - this is a REAL food Co-Op. I only get down to Olympia occasionally, but love to shop here when i do. They take my PCC membership card and treat me like I am one of their co-op members. Their selection is much more down to earth than PCC in the Seattle area. The bulk foods have many more choices than I can find there. The food is real, and they don't have the aisles and aisles of wine like PCC - just real food with an emphasis on bulk, natural and organic. Olympia Food Co-op Westside - you get 5 stars from me - I've been to your bigger brothers up north and I appreciate you the way you are. read more

How can you not love the co-op, west-side or east-side? Ok so it is a bit expensive and they don't take cards, but seriously, who cares? The bulk selection is great (although not as good as the east-side). They have local/organic stuff. If they had beer and wine and were within walking distance they would be the only place besides Grocery Outlet I would shop. The East-side co-op is slightly nicer, slightly better stocked, and has a better bulk selection, but the West side co-op is still pretty great. read more

I'd give this place 3 1/2 stars if I could. It's better than okay, but I'm not quite a fan. My biggest issue is the fact that it's extremely pricey! I understand charging more for local items/ingredients, but to up the price on common goods you can get just about anywhere is ridiculous. Some people complain about the lack of space, and yes, I did get quite cozy with some of my fellow patrons as I walked through out the store... but that's how most coops are, and really, who cares?! Unless the people invading your space bubble stinks, which is a possibility here (on a side note, if you're not going to bathe regularly or use some sort of deodorant, you have NO business going around your fellow human beings anyway!!) I was excited to see their bulk items in the dry goods aisle! Especially some of the harder to find items, like the various types of gluten-free flours and grains! I've never seen so many types of rice in one place! Very cool. My favorite thing, by far, is the fact that they carry my favorite type of kombucha (High Country)!! This is the only place I can find it without having to go to Portland or Seattle! Yay! When it comes down to it, this is the place to come when you're looking for a rare or hard-to-find ingredient or item. However, it's NOT the place to buy commonly-found goods, as you'll end up paying about twice as much for the same product. And for someone on a budget, that makes a difference! read more

The Co-Op finally allows debit and credit cards! They do make a point to show how much it costs the Co-Op to process cards but I'm hoping that the revenue that expanding the ways in which one can purchase food here will outweigh the costs! It also sounds like a downtown store will be built within the next year or so! Hizzah!! Still, why the hell isn't there a beer and wine section? I asked once and they said it was to make sure that people with substance abuse issues wouldn't be tempted but frankly that is a ridiculous excuse. I would rather support the Co-Op with buying alcohol through them than through Thriftway or Top Foods. read more

I really enjoy this co-op, we just relocated here from out of state and this was the first place we came to and we were greeted with such hospitality, professionalism and kindness. I found my new local store. Thank you for the warm welcome. read more

I love the fresh organic selections, the soup and salad bar, the staff and how community oriented it is!!

Love this place. Its a great place to pick up specialty items. The prices are high, but if you shop right it won't break the bank. For more selection, check out their east side location. read more

Our favorite neighborhood grocery! They have everything and more. Even if a little Pricier than big box stores. People are super nice and chill. And there are always good finds and healthy munchies. Check it out when on west side! read more

I recently moved to Washington and was told about the co-op. I visited this location only to find that I had been mislead. The staff were a little too pre-occupied to help someone in need, the food prices were far more expensive than other health food stores I have visited, and their vegetable selection was poor. I had never been to a co-op before, and believe me, this will be the last for this one. As I have come to understand it, they don't have any personnel cost as they are a volunteer group, they have membership fees, and their product cost is way higher than other health food stores here in Tacoma. I'm sorry, but this seems like an engineered scam. Oh by the way, don't expect anyone to bag your groceries...apparently they're way too concerned about being cool and "green" then helping their fellow human being. read more

I want to like this place, I really do. But there are a lot of unwritten rules for shopping here and a lot of passive aggressive stinkeye when you violate them. And you will violate them, because no one will tell you what they are. Except for me. Here they are, as far as I can surmise: 1. "Staff" are volunteers. You need to unload your groceries and bag/box them yourself. Don't expect the cashier to say hello to you or make eye contact. 2. Grab a clipboard when you get there and write down the numbers for your produce. This way when the cashier glares at you and asks, "What is this, a GRAPEFRUIT," you are prepared with an answer that will actually get you through the process and out the door. 3. Oh yeah, bring a pen. All the pencils in the bulk food aisle won't be sharp, assuming you can find them at all. 4. Bulk foods: you can avoid the passive-aggressive sign by the plastic bags ("Co-op members used eleventy zillions plastic bags last year...!") if you bring your own container and write down the tare weight of it first. But make sure the tare is in ounces. Grams will just confuse the cashier (see rule #1). 5. Shopping carts are a symptom of our society's over-consumption. Therefore they are relegated to the outside, are filthy, and weird. But if you must use one - because apparently you had the bad manners to have a kid and need to shop for more than one person - you will find the doors challenging. They're not automatic, and no other customers will help you by holding it open. Push the button with the wheelchair on it, and the doors will open. Be prepared for stinkeye, because you're not actually in a wheelchair and therefore don't deserve to use the special button. 6. Don't comment on the nice weather to anyone, unless you're prepared for, "Yeah, thanks to global warming," as a reply. See ya there! I'll be the grim-faced one with the shopping cart, dutifully avoiding eye contact. read more

Let me just say that I love both the eastside and the westside co-ops. As someone who has very close ties to organic vegetable farms in the area I definitely appreciate all they do to support local goods! It's fantastic to be able to support an awesome local grocery store run by awesome people! And the people that I do know that are employed by the co-op are fantastic and love working there (which, I think, says a lot!). I love their variety of local meats, cheeses, kombuchas, raw milk, etc. I can definitely say that, being from Chicago, this place is my favorite place to shop for foodgoods!!! However, I am only giving them four stars because my partner and I (amongst other pals) have had regrets about the customer service. I really like that people volunteer for the co-op! I think its awesome! BUT. Please give your employees or volunteers some lessons in kindness to customers. It says a lot about a store that I can go there at least once a week to shop because I believe in their cause and their products while still getting weird and rude treatment by people at the checkout at both locations. I hate that nearly everytime I leave, I am in a sour mood because of the checkout people giving me the stink eye/being sassy (in a bad way)/being downright rude. I just wish that the customer service at the Olympia Food Co-op was more in line with their mission to bring positive change in the world. Is it so much to ask to just be nice to the person trying to buy some wholesome food for their family? read more

Now, I have joined the majority of my friends in no longer shopping at Olympia Food Coop (East Side, in particular...maybe both, I don't know). If you like Olympia's cooler-than-thou, superior attitude than this is your place. If you believe that people should be kind and considerate of each other, not the place to go. The customer service is beyond horrendous. One friend, who no longer shops there, feels it is just too dirty. It's a shame because, generally they carry local, quality produce and foods. Lots of drama and mental cases here. Of all the coops around the country, the Olympia food coop has managed to remain stunted. It is till dirty and funky. Meanwhile, Mt Vernon Food Coop is huge, beautiful, and friendly. Same with the Corvallis Coop and with the store Kiva, in Eugene. These are places trying to improve themselves and move forward. Not the case with Olympia's Food Coop. After all, it is hard to progress when you already think you're perfect and superior. read more

I am not sure if I am really "qualified" to write a review, as I have only browsed through a few times. An experience on my second visit has inspired this review. A kind volunteer was explaining membership to me, when a woman interrupted our conversation by squawking about a bunch of bananas, and then shoved said bananas in his face. The gentleman excused himself to me and handed the bananas back to her and pretty much pulled a Bon Qui Qui (YouTube it) on her. I will forever love him for that. You gotta love a business that lets employees put rude people in their place. read more

Don't be fooled by its tiny size, this place has a huge variety of things. Furthermore, you can fill your pantry with SUPER locally sourced items, which is a huge plus for me. Membership was worth it. read more

I appreciate having a local co-op so close to where I live but I wish they stocked less weird stuff and more things a person would actually use to make a meal. Also, even non-dairy creamer is an arm and a leg. My impression has been that the cashiers would rather you were not there...I think they could use some training on customer service. The co-op I used to frequent had a great friendly staff so this is definitely an Olympia thing not a co-op thing. I'd shop here all the time if it had more variety in things I would actually eat, at reasonable prices. As it is, I would rather go to the Farmer's Market. read more

Lots of goodies to choose from but the price of the items are pretty steep. I would return, but only once in a while.

this is the smaller westside branch of the co-op, and it feels much less intimidating and preachy than the one on the eastside. outside there is the free-store (a giant free box that is open when there is a volunteer to staff it, because there is *so much* stuff that it has to be kept at least somewhat organized!) and (often) plants for sale. even though the store is small (and can get cramped if you shop at the wrong time!) i have never missed anything and learned that they have it at the eastside store. bulk section, cheeses, vegetables, health and beauty stuff, vitamins (take that, weird "good life" store!). the westside loves the co-op, and i think that maybe the increase in friendliness vs. the eastside co-op is based on the fact that this incarnation is in the middle of a residential neighborhood and (i would imagine) a fantastic neighbor. read more

I felt like I walked into California. For this I love you Olympia Co-Op. If I go to Evergreen I will definitely hit up this co-op daily. Thank you for having delicious cheese selection, big and interesting and functional bulk section, tons and tons of medicinal and hygiene products and so much more...also the Free Store was a pleasant surprise... it is a free store...shoppers kept on comin' to browse, find, and donate. awesome. 5 stars. read more

This place is great and is a staple of Olympia. On some things the prices are a bit steep but learn to be a smart shopper and there shouldn't be an issue. They just got kombucha on tap in the bulk isle, which is pretty rad. The free store (yes, everything in that little shed of a "store" is free!) always has some sweet treasures to find. I love this co-op and the attitudes and the people...if people would stop expecting this to be run like any other chain grocery, then they could see the joy it radiates read more

only for the fact that they have a "free box" with clothes gets 5 stars ... they all organized :) Lots of bulk at this location and no food bar so if you looking for that try the east location :) read more

Olympia Food Co-op - Grocery Near Me - Olympia, Washington

Love everything about the place, and miss it like crazy when I'm away for long stretches. The produce, the bulk goods - the fresh peanut butter! read more

Good variety of organics. Can be a bit pricy, but sometimes have great sales on produce etc. worth the $20 lifetime membership!

I just moved to Olympia from the east coast and can't believe I lived without a real co-op before. Maybe the prices are higher than the average grocery store, but believe me you cannot get this sort of quality for the money anywhere else. Local produce at a fair price. I drop by the Westside co-op almost every night and run home to impress my family with organic wholesome meals! read more