The Food Conspiracy Co-op, located at 412 N. Fourth Ave. just announced that their long-awaited East Entrance Project is now open to the public. Just a couple of years ago, the store celebrated its 50th anniversary and announced the plans for the new entrance, so many of the regulars are just as excited as the team at the Food Conspiracy Co-op.
“The East Entrance Project signifies a significant step forward for our owners and community, fulfilling a long-envisioned goal,” said John Glennon, Project Manager.
This milestone project transforms the space, offering a more convenient and expanded shopping experience for the Tucson community. Shoppers can now enjoy a spacious entrance at the rear of the store, increased off-street parking, expanded offerings, and an outdoor courtyard.
“Since we first opened in 1971, the Co-op has always been committed to providing high-quality natural and organic foods,” Glennon added. “While our mission hasn’t changed, this project allows us to grow and thrive into the future as we continue to support organic agriculture, utilize sustainable business practices, and invest in our local farmers and vendors.”
Grand Opening Party
As the store opens its new space to the public now, there’s still a big party in the works. The official Grand Opening celebration is planned for Saturday, February 3 — in conjunction with the Co-op’s birthday. They’ll be celebrating 53 years as Tucson’s only member-owned grocery store.
More updates will be shared in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, keep on scrolling and take a gander at what’s new.
New Features & Updates
- Convenient Access and Improved Parking – Customers can now access the store from the rear of the building through a new parking lot with 33 additional spaces that stretch to Third Avenue.
- Please note: The parking lot will be partially open for the initial opening. The lot is expected to be fully open by the end of January.
- Produce Department Doubling in Size – Browse the Co-op’s newly expanded produce department, offering twice the selection of local and organic fruits and vegetables.
- New Hot Bar and Salad Bar Island – The expanded space features a new hot bar and salad bar island, allowing for expanded scratch-made meals, salads, sweet treats, and more.
- Additional Cash Registers – New larger cash registers will better accommodate bigger purchases and speedier checkouts.
- Outdoor Courtyard and Community Gathering Space – A new outdoor covered courtyard complete with adobe brick adorned garden beds, an integrated passive and active rainwater harvesting system to feed the edible gardens, outdoor seating, and a community stage.
Community Owned & Community Funded
As mentioned earlier, the Food Conspiracy is the only local community-owned market and kitchen in Tucson. The multi-million-dollar East Entrance Project was largely funded by our member-owner investors as well as a major investment from The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and the Community Investment Corporation.
The Food Conspiracy Co-op is located at 412 N. Fourth Ave. For more information, visit foodconspiracy.coop.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
