Community Food Co-op - Westerly

I recently went to Bellingham on a shopping haul because we are a bit behind on the newest products in Canada.
Went to Whole Foods and this Coop location.
I was quite impressed with the size of this location and the amount of vegan options.
The pricing was very reasonable, although different items were cheaper/or more expensive than at Whole Foods. It is worth shopping around for sure!
The staff was friendly and helpful, and I will definitely go back next time we're in Bellingham.
I got a cold pad thai salad to eat for lunch and it was good. The vegan items are clearly marked.
There is a very eco-friendly/hippie vive in there. I really liked it.

I have shopped there many times and found the staff to be friendly and helpful. There are a few things that they stock that aren't at the Forest St. store, and vice versa. A staff member explained that they base this on what sells (or not). I enjoy shopping there. It is very clean, I support the Co-op principles and, while there is always room for improvement in any business, the Co-op is way above other grocery stores in the area (Terra Organica excepted)in their adherence to the triple bottom line.

Definitely not the friendliest co-op I have ever visited but it's close to work so, you know, it will suffice in a pinch. The check-out staff is friendly, they're rather cool in fact, but the people who stock can be downright surly! They can be so gruff it makes me question my co-op membership, quite frankly.

They are well-stocked with the things they want to stock but the variety is limited. Don't expect this store to expand your culinary horizons. The prepared food is bland, I wouldn't recommend anything behind the plexiglass to anyone.

Get what you need but don't expect inspiration from this store.

I was in the co-op today and I have got to say that I was very disappointed. I was getting some tofu from the deli when I noticed that they had the vegan tofo in the same container as the tofu with a yogurt seasoning. I mentioned to the guy that he should not have the the two in the same dish as it creates cross contamination.

His response was 'We are not a certified Vegan kitchen and so you got to expect some cross contamination. We use the same cutting boards for both meat and vegan products so cross contamination is unavoidable."

I told him that he should put a notice up that there is cross contamination so vegans would know.

He said that vegans would not care. I asked if he was vegan, and he said 'no but I have had a lot of vegan customers over the years and you are not my first vegan customer.'

I felt like I had been lied to for the last few years I have been shopping as a vegan at the co-op because I had been told by other employees that they DO NOT cross contaminate. This is unacceptable.