With the influx of new grocery stores to the greater Pittsburgh region, I often overlook the East End Food Co-Op. Whenever I go back there, I always regret not having gone sooner! Although smaller than rival stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joes, the Co-Op has a couple features that set it apart from its competitors. Obviously, because it's a co-op, it's much easier for a customer to feel an authentic ""buy in"" to the shopping experience -- it's easy to believe that money spent there supports a vision of a local, community-based food system. Also, the bulk section selection easily beats other stores in the city. Although the Co-Op doesn't have as much shelf space, as long as it fills this bulk niche, I will make it a point to keep coming back!
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