In his column in October’s Shuttle (“It’s Time to Start Talking About the Future of Our Flagship Store”), General Manager Jon Roesser spends almost half a page critiquing everything that he perceives as wrong with the Mt. Airy store before concluding, not particularly credibly, “I am not — repeat not! — advocating moving our Mt. Airy store to a new location.” But as Jon notes, the problems with the store — crowded aisles, lack of off-street parking, limited selection with fewer sizes and brands, no room for a salad bar or rotisserie chickens, dumpsters next to the sidewalk, etc., etc.— don’t keep us from shopping there. His complaints remind us of the Yogi Berra saying, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

Apparently, many Co-op members prefer walkability to easy parking, don’t need the plethora of choices available at the Acme or Whole Foods, don’t mind crossing the street for pet or beauty supplies, enjoy running into friends and neighbors in the tight aisles (COVID aside), and like to patronize the nearby shops for which the Co-op is the anchor. And for members who don’t like the Carpenter Lane experience, there are different experiences available at Chestnut Hill and Ambler.

We are sure there are ways to improve the Mt. Airy store. But any thought of moving it should be nipped in the bud.

— Peter Schneider
Susan DeJarnatt