Up Close and Personal with Dill Pickle Food Co-Op!
Brock Auerbach-Lynn, Board Member & President, Dill Pickle Food Co-Op
By Brock Auerbach-Lynn, Board Member & President, Dill Pickle Food Co-Op
Today we sat down with Brock Auerbach-Lynn, Board Member and President of Dill Pickle Co-Op, to learn more about what Dill Pickle does and why it matters!
How was Dill Pickle started, and why?
The Dill Pickle, a full service grocery store in Logan Square, has been providing local and organic groceries to the community for 13 years. As a cooperative (co-op for short), the Dill Pickle has sustainability and concern for the community built right into its DNA. This was the case in 2005, when residents in Logan Square began looking for a way to bring more regular access to local and organic groceries into the neighborhood. Rather than simply hope that a big company or wealthy individual would fill the need, the group of community members banded together and built a collective vision of a grocery store that would embody cooperation and sustainability. They worked tirelessly for four years to build the base of support, raise funds, and establish the vision and policies that in 2009 would become the Dill Pickle. Its original location occupied a cozy storefront on Fullerton Ave.
Fast forward to today and you’ll find Dill Pickle has relocated to a much larger space on Milwaukee Ave at Spaulding (right by the northern entrance to the Logan L stop). From the small group of neighbors, the Dill Pickle has grown to a thriving community of more than 3,500 member-owners and serves the whole community. The Dill Pickle is open for all - it welcomes non-owners and owners alike.
What exactly is a coop? How is it different from other grocery stores?
Cooperatives are businesses that are democratically controlled and financed, enabling community members to collectively fill local needs. Community members can own a share of the co-op and elect a board of directors to help guide the store’s strategy. We are accountable to the community and have a local-focus built right into our DNA.
What are Dill Pickle's sustainability practices? What are some things you can find at Dill Pickle that you can't find in other grocery stores?
As the Dill Pickle Food Co-op has grown, sustainability continues to be front and center in the products we carry, the store’s operations, and the programs we offer for community members.
Products:
Local and organic groceries make up the vast majority of food with more than 100 suppliers within 100 miles.
Zero-waste bulk options enable shoppers the opportunity to avoid packaging when they purchase a wide variety of items from traditional granola and beans to almond butter, vanilla extract, and soap.
Vegetarian and vegan protein options abound with everything from tofu, to seitan, to Beyond Meat products. Don’t worry, meat, fish, cheese lovers - we also carry a great selection of local, organic, wild-caught, pasture-raised, and grass-fed options for you!
Natural, organic, and biodynamic wines at great prices fill a whole shopping bay at the Dill Pickle.
Operations and Location:
Reduced energy use and waste are key to the Dill Pickle. The store was designed with energy efficiency built into all mechanical and lighting systems, while food waste is reduced through composting of organic waste, and food pantry donations.
Public transit, bike and pedestrian friendly thanks to our amazing location on Milwaukee Ave right by the northern entrance/exit to the Logan L stop. Don’t worry drivers, we also have parking in the back.
Community Sustainability Programs:
Community solar program encourages community members to sign up for this amazing state-wide program that supports solar and saves money at no cost.
Community composting program encourages community members to sign up for composting collection services that help to reduce waste going to landfills.
Divvy partnership provides co-op owners with a reduced-cost first year membership to the Chicago bike-sharing service. There’s a Divvy station 2 blocks from the store!
A 2022 Cleanup hosted by The Dill Pickle Food Co-Op & Cleanup Club.jpeg
Anything Else You’d like to Share?
We’re proud to carry the torch as the only operating grocery store cooperative in the city (though we’re excited that others are in the process of forming). It has also been great to be recognized by the community with the Chicago Reader’s Best Local Grocer award three years in a row.
If you are able to drop by Logan Square, you’ll find our doors open from 8am - 9pm everyday. You can also take advantage of our great new cafe space that's perfect for community events - whether that’s a board meeting or game night. For those who can’t make it to the store, we’ve partnered with Mercato to provide grocery delivery across Chicago.
We’re excited to show you our amazing local produce, meats, fish, and cheeses; our abundant zero-waste items; an impressive selection of vegetarian and vegan protein; and the great community and store that so many have worked to build. We hope you’ll check us out soon!
If you have questions or want to chat sustainability or co-ops, feel free to drop us a line at board@dillpickle.coop.
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY
Brock Auerbach-Lynn, Board Member, President The Dill Pickle Co-Op
