Ucluelet’s Co-Op is impressive on many levels - its community-ownership structure, terrific selection of foods, & range of departments it has serving the needs of this 1,700-strong West Coast, Vancouver Island, ocean community, known to locals as Ukee.
This current Coronavirus crisis has it building...on its already good reputation, instituting practices, that support staff & customers alike.
The Co-Op is now closed on Sundays, allowing staff to restore their energies; seniors & first responders are able to shop at the start of the day from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., allowing them the security & peace of mind which comes with having less customers in the store, & the store closes for daily sanitization & restocking from 12:30 to 2 p.m., then staying open until 6 p.m.
Online orders can be placed for delivery, which had been beefed up with volunteers & all orders must be placed before 4 p.m.
My son & his family are in two-week quarantine after returning from a holiday over the spring break, & it is a great relief to know they are able to procure food without having to leave home.
I have bought a great range of things from the CO-OP, over the some 12 years I have been visiting this stunning location, from flip flops, toys for my two, wonderful grandchildren, to great cheeses, along with good produce, meats, breads & deli items.
They stock a number of things usually more closely associated with speciality grocers, such as WholeFoods, & I am told they will bring in requests, if they are able to.
I believe it now stocks British-favorite, Marmite, on request, a very healthy vegetarian spread, which one either really loves or really dislikes.
My Ukee family of four is split down the middle; two for, two against.
So thanks to the CO-OP & thanks to the volunteers,
Ukee is an impressive community, pulling together in a most impressive way.
Posted by S FullerMore