Takoma Park Silver Spring Food

Stopped by this place today for a small purchase. Was treated to a show of two customers calling each other a__holes trying to get through the checkout line. The old goat face who started it drove off with his tail between his legs.

Have to give them one star for customer service but I would give them five stars for entertainment .

Easily the best coop in the area, by a country mile. Like all coops it has its quirks but I love shopping here. Great wine and beer selection to compliment a very strong plant - based - diet selection.

Probably the best coop in the world.

The store is a bit pricey compared to MOMS and Trader Joe's. The shopping experience can be challenging given the layout of the store. The dry herb selective limited and needs revamping.

For quick trips to pick up forgotten items for a meal or if you want to avoid a big grocery trip, it's fine. It's expensive and options are limited.

They also represent the worst NIMBY tendencies of Takoma Park, so I feel bad supporting a business that won't allow development on a barely used parking lot.

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place yet. Let's see...where to begin...

I had lived here for years before learning there was a natural food co-op so convenient to my house. I was excited to join, and I pop in occasionally when I want a quick shopping experience and don't feel like going all the way to Whole Foods, etc.

The good thing about this place is that it has a very small, but decent selection. You won't find everything you need here -- but you can definitely make do with it in a pinch. It's a store with a small footprint (and annoyingly tiny shopping carts for ridiculously narrow aisles) but it packs a lot into the space. Plus, there's ample free parking in the store's private lot and the adjoining public lot -- so that makes it super convenient for drivers.

But that's pretty much where the positives end. For no matter how much I try, I find it super unpleasant to shop here. 99% of the store employees are really rude and unfriendly. They all seem to be foreigners (African, Caribbean, Hispanic, etc.), which I only mention because I truly think they do not understand American customer service norms in the least. I also think many of them racially profile customers (e.g., I can't tell you how many times they assume I'm not a member and don't bother asking for my number so I can use my monthly member discount -- or alternatively ask for not only my number but demand my last name as well, even though I just watched them serve the white customer ahead of me on the basis of his number only). ::eye roll::

What's more, it's always just a stressful experience dealing with them. Case in point, today I was "served" by a surly man named Davy (according to my receipt) who seemed to be wearing sunglasses inside, who didn't return my greeting to him when I approached the register (where he was sitting idly doing absolutely nothing), rang up my groceries without even the slightest smile or acknowledgement, did not ask for my member number at all, did not bag my groceries (which is something they often failed to do even before the pandemic), and handed me my receipt without the slightest murmur coming from his lips. Unless he's both deaf and mute, he needs training or termination. But he's not the only one. Most of the cashiers are similarly terrible. It's rare to get a truly pleasant one who seems to like his/her job and understand how to interact with customers. Everyone in there needs training and assessments. It's really a shame because every time I go, I swear it's going to be my last visit and that I should request a refund of my membership fee (which is allowed) because the experience is just so not worth the money! The only reason I hang around is to see if the store improves after it undertakes its big expansion project soon. I really hope the staff in the new, bigger, improved store is different from the people currently there now!

(P.S. Let me clarify that this review relates mainly to the cashiers and to some of the workers who stock shelves. But there is a really beautiful, gentle woman who works/worked in the vitamin section named Maya IIRC. She is NOT included in this review because she is truly wonderful and like a ray of sunshine in the midst of an otherwise dreary place.)

In the most overpriced city on the planet, this co-op is like a desert oasis!
Amazing on price, with a broad selection and a warm, super positive, friendly staff. There is always something special about the energy of an authentic co-op! I specifically come here, quite often, for the locally made sushi and smell of fresh ground coffee beans; then leave with a refreshed, grateful heart. Thank you TPSS!

I usually shop at the TPSS Co Op in Silver Spring; it's a block from my house. However this location is much bigger, and has a huge bulk section of healthy grains, nuts and flours.

I need Xanthan gum for a gluten free shortbread recipe and I don't want to pay $10+ for a two pound bag when all I need is 1/4 tsp. Turns out, they didn't have it here. I guess I'll try using ground flax seeds. They have it in bulk, and in their baking aisle.

The foods are organic, and a bit pricier than your local grocer, but hey, it's organic and good for your body. They do have monthly deals though. Organic avocados were $0.99 each on my last visit. That's cheaper than Giant. Vermont Bread Company's organic soft wheat bread was $3.50 instead of $4.79. So, there are deals to be had.

The staff is very knowledgable about their products, especially the vitamin supplement lady I spoke with a few months back. It pays in the long run to treat your body right. You're worth a few extra dollars, Don't ya think?

This business uses glue traps and poor mice suffer horrific deaths. I unknowingly stepped on one of these traps with a dead mouse and it stuck to my shoe. The staff refused to accept culpability for this heinous and barbaric practice. I will never shop at this place again.

Having been a member since 2008, I feel confident in saying that there's really very little to like about this coop. I've been a member of one or another coop since 1975, and this is clearly the worst. The fresh produce tends overwhelmingly to be very poor in quality. The prices are extremely high.  The bulk foods are good, but expensive. I continue to shop here out a general moral-political commitment to coops and the farmers they support, and the fact that the alternative, Whole Foods, is obviously disgusting and immoral.  But if there were a better coop in the area, I'd shop there. what a shame.

I love the coop structure but I found this one to be a bit off. Could be cleaner and more organized, among other things. The website is also pretty outdated. I wish the DC area had more coops, or that this one improves.

I was also horrified to learn this coop is actively blocking housing from being built near transit in Takoma - despite enormous demand for housing in the region. I wish they would be inclusive of potential residents.