The Co-op.

I recently visited The Merc in Lawrence, KS. It's about a half hour from me on the highway, so I don't go nearly as often as I would like. I generally pick a time when I have a little "fun" money to spend--and spend it, I do!

What's so special about The Merc? Well, for starters, it's a co-op. What does that mean? It means that people in the community buy into the store. Regular people own shares of the market. They have input into which products the store carries, and in which direction the company goes.

Cooperative stores have a long history, dating back centuries. Regular people were looking for ways to survive economically when their stores became too expensive and lacked variety. Communities began to come together and create their own local stores, with more affordable pricing and their choice of products.

One of my favorite sections of The Merc is the cheese counter. As anyone can tell from reading my blog, I love cheese! What makes this cheese counter better than others? Does it have more variety? Is it less expensive? Well, yes and no. There is a wonderful selection there of both locally produced and various artisanal cheeses. It may not have quite the variety of the specialty cheese counter at your local chain supermarket, but you can be assured that it is such an interesting variety that you won't want to shop at the regular grocery store. As for pricing, yes, something cheeses will cost more, but many will cost less, and what's more, the person behind the counter will be able to answer your questions about different varieties. My questions have always been promptly and knowledgeably answered by a friendly staff member, who seems equally excited about the cheese as I am.

Enthusiastic people who have faith in the products they are selling, who believe in the quality of their goods, that is a rare thing, and something of which we need more. It's easy to become blase and desensitized to what we eat and where it comes from. In my experience and opinion, cooperative markets are a great way to get excited again about your food as well as be directly involved in you local economy.

If you'd like to join The Merc, visit their website, linked above, and check out the information on how to become a member.

I'd love to see one in Topeka. How about you? What awesome products would you like to have available in your local market? Comment below and let me know.