One Staffer’s Perspective
by Deb Barnwell
Flavor is usually associated with food and our sense of taste. Most of us shop for foods that we enjoy, whose flavors we find appealing. Other things have flavor too. Perhaps a better word is ambiance or environment. Atmosphere?
Quite a few of us in our little Plainfield Co-op universe are very aware of and protective of our co-op’s particular unique flavor. Visitors new to our little co-op frequently comment on it in glowing terms. Flavor is a highly ephemeral element; an organic quality that, like in each of our homes, is an expression of those who inhabit a place. Flavor can also be lost in the pursuit of growth. I have heard many customers of other co-ops mourn the loss of flavor as the result of expansion. And we all know that the larger a company grows the more codified and sterile its flavor becomes.
The Plainfield Co-op is, as most of you know, a little over 50 years old now and has inhabited the same funky little blue building next to the cemetery for most of its life. Volunteers re-paint our blue-gray floor every once in a while. One talented volunteer creates beautiful gardens around our entrance. The interior flavor comes from love, a quirky sense of humor and the creativity of generations of dedicated staff over the years. Some of us enjoy the lighthearted whimsy in perching toys in unexpected spots. The houseplants all come in with various staff members. Laura Conklin was known for some amazing creative displays behind the first register, a/k/a Reg 1 to us. And I have been gradually remaking all of the labels on the bulk herb and tea jars, added a bit of colorful inspiration to the partitions and picked and dried some hydrangea flowers to add to the herbal ambiance of my little herb corner.
As buyers, most of us take a fair amount of proprietary pride in how our departments look. We work hard to source quality products for you, and some of us enjoy creating a certain atmosphere, feeling a strong sense of ownership in the various corners of the little store we tend week in and week out. It goes hand in hand with being responsive to customer requests and the shifting needs of the seasons, be that pickling spices when canning season rolls around or herbs to boost the immune system when it grows cold.
The flavor of our little co-op is a direct outgrowth of the care and dedication of the staff—generations of us. Have you ever noticed height markings in the doorway into the back stockroom? Go look sometime on both sides. Generations of staff and their kids who grew up here over the years have left their mark.
Given all this and all the uncertainties of what the big move will bring, many folks ask, “Will we still have our unique flavor?” From the staff’s perspective we would give an unequivocal “YES!” There is word of a committee of sorts, I’ve heard, charged with keeping the flavor, which seems a bit surprising as what’s being valued is something that is the direct result of the staff being free to bring their own talents and vision to the place we work each week. So, it would seem only logical that, given similar freedom and encouragement, the same intrinsic organic flavor would continue, not unlike nurturing your sourdough starter.
So before there are too many hands in the pot trying to influence or alter something we all appreciate, maybe we let go of some aspects of this big change and trust in the staff who have worked hard pouring their love and independent creativity into this tiny independent shop that for over 50 years has been a celebration of local, organic, independent, unique, unconventional, ethically conscious and anything but ordinary.
