The store front formerly known as Sid's Delicatessen
In 1972, the original Weavers Way Food Co-op took up residence at 555 Carpenter Lane, which used to be Sid's Delicatessen and could hold no more than six shoppers at a time.

In summer and fall of 1972 there was a pre-order buying group operating out of the basement of Summit Church. But Jules Timerman was convinced that “Mt. Airy could and would support a full-fledged co-op,” said long-time Co-op member Dorothy Guy in a 1993 Shuttle newspaper article.

In the Fall of 1972, she says, “Jules toured the neighborhood selling apples from the back of his station wagon and talking co-op to anyone who would listen. He also distributed flyers door-to-door. Finally, when enough people had chipped in a few dollars apiece, Jules was ready to make his dream a reality. He rented the store front at 555 Carpenter Lane, which had been Sid’s Delicatessen.”

Jules stocked the store with a good selection of deli products and fresh produce and opened for business on January 13, 1973. Produce bins lined the right side of the store. Big glass deli cases and a counter for cutting and wrapping lined the left, with one aisle in between. Six shoppers made it as crowded as 40 in Weavers Way today. Jules rented 557 Carpenter, next door, as an office space.

Frustrated by the lines and occasional inconvenience now? Try this on for size: The store was so small in its first incarnation that there was no space for any check out. You’d go next door to 557 to pick up an order pad. You’d go back to 555 to select your groceries, and you’d write every product and price on the order pad. Then you’d return to 557 and pay for the groceries. Finally, you’d go back to 555 to pick up your order. Talk about ping-pong shopping!

Jules kept it all going by putting in 70 to 80 hours a week, without pay. He had to take each day’s income to buy the next day’s supplies—no established credit made for limited buying power. But somehow, Jules kept things going, hunting for bargains, making daily trips to the food distribution center. Word got around the neighborhood that produce at the co-op was fresher and cheaper—and the cheese selection was great—so membership kept increasing. By mid 1973, membership was up to 500.

Below you’ll find a brief timeline of the early years. Immediate past president of the Board, Bob Noble, is working on an annotated timeline of the Co-op's history. Here’s just a little of what you’ll discover when Bob complete's his timeline: our many aborted efforts to move the coop and expand; the evolution of the work requirement; the birth of the board; the purchase of our first truck, Maxine; and much, much more. And now, for a brief timeline of the early years: