edible notables
COMMUNITY GROCER
Region welcomes lovely new co-op.
WRITTEN BY TERRY JOY
PHOTO BY CANDICE NYANDO
W here’s the best place to buy local food? It may well be Great Basin Community Food Co-op, now at its new location on Court Street in downtown Reno. From its humble beginnings in 2006 in a tiny space in the back of a record store to bigger (500-square-foot) accommodations and expanded offerings on Plumas Street, the co-op now has grown into 7,000 square feet serving more than 5,000 members fed by about 70 local farmers and producers. The co-op has an extensive selection of local food from vegetables, honey, and tea to milk, meat, and eggs.
| Tyler Williams takes a break from working at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op |
On top of that, the co-op is downtown Reno’s first grocery store in a long time. Formerly a fitness center, the co-op leased and remodeled the property earlier this year. The sparkling quarters feature fresh local produce, frozen foods, and staples. Shoppers also will find locally and naturally raised meats from such ranchers as Hulsman Ranch and Hole-In-One Ranch. Upstairs, shoppers will discover health-care products and wellness aids.
The store will cater to busy downtown denizens. In June, a commercial kitchen will offer fresh grab-and-go items. Diners can pick up freshly made salads and sandwiches as well as baked goods and breakfast burritos. A small café upstairs, offering quick healthy meals, is expected to open by late summer. However, the community café will be open for people to sit and enjoy their grab-and-go meals by early summer.
In addition, Co-Founder and General Manager Amber Sallaberry says the edible landscape on the property will feature a demonstration garden. Fruit and nut trees and medicinal and culinary herbs will line the property as well.
Members and volunteers keep the place hopping. Co-op employees work hand-in-hand with Distributors of Organic and Local Produce and Products, or DROPP, an organization located in the basement that connects local farmers with local restaurants. As part of this plan, drivers pick up local farmers’ crops and deliver them directly to restaurants, cutting down on the time and fuel costs required for farmers to market their harvests.
The co-op’s staff members are committed to increasing access to local food, bringing food from local farm to plate, as seamlessly as possible.
Reno writer Terry Joy shops and eats locally whenever possible.
Co-op membership is open to anyone. The cost is $20 a year. Members can vote at any co-op election, receive newsletters, place special orders, and are eligible to volunteer at the store.
Great Basin Community Food Co-op
240 Court St., Reno
775-324-6133
www.Greatbasinfood.coop
Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day
