Independent Grocery Stores in Milwaukee

Is shopping at a locally owned grocery store important to you? If so, then you can become a proud patron or even part-owner at one of these independent grocery stores in Milwaukee. You may have to make some concessions, like losing breadth of brands and coughing up more cash, but you’ll walk away knowing that you supported the Milwaukee community directly. You may even find that these independent grocery stores offer some useful perks that the chain stores don’t provide.

1. Riverwest Co-op and Cafe
733 E. Clarke Street
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-264-7933
http://www.riverwestcoop.org �¯�¿�½
Accessible from MCTS Bus Routes 10 and 22.

Established in 2001, this cooperative grocery store was opened in the right neighborhood. Riverwest is known for its small businesses and counterculture vibe, making it the perfect place for an independent grocery store whose motto is “Food for People, Not for Profit.” Although you need not be a member to shop there, you can become a lifetime member for as little as $100 (paid in $20 installments over five years). This small investment gains you a share in the ownership of this democratically administered cooperative venture and entitles you to a 5% discount, so you can actually save some of the membership fee over time. The Riverwest Co-op also welcomes volunteers who work in the store and serve on committees. As a result, the shopping experience can be a social one which builds community in the surrounding neighborhood. Offering plentiful vegetarian and vegan options, Riverwest Co-op is one of Milwaukee’s best places for natural foods. The focus is on providing food that comes from known sources. Be sure to visit the Co-op CafÃ?© attached to the grocery store, as it features vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, soups, and baked goods.

2. Outpost Natural Foods
100 E. Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-961-2597�¯�¿�½
www.outpostnaturalfoods.coop
Capitol Drive location is accessible from MCTS Bus Routes 14 and 62.�¯�¿�½ For the Bayview Outpost, take the 15 Bus.

Outpost has such attractive branding that you may not even recognize it as an independent grocery store. Though it has less of a neighborhood feel, Outpost is also a member-owned enterprise, like the Riverwest Co-op. With three locations in the Milwaukee area, including a Bayview store that opened in the fall of 2005, Outpost is committed to organic foods, fair trade products, and the absence of genetically-modified organisms. Outpost also tries to keep as many Wisconsin products as possible on their shelves, demonstrating their support for the state economy. Membership at Outpost will cost you $200 paid out over eight years in $25 installments. Investment in the cooperative makes you a part-owner and results in a number of benefits like bulk discounts, owner appreciation days, and a patronage rebate calculated based on the previous year’s profits (somewhat like a stock dividend). Because it’s so well established, Outpost even offers a magazine, special events, and educational outreach. All around, it’s a great option if you can’t take advantage of the more personal, character-filled Riverwest Co-op.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½

3. Sendik’s on Downer
2643 N. Downer Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53211
www.sendiks.com�¯�¿�½
Accessible from MCTS Bus Routes 30 and 21

Looking for a broad selection of brie? Want the butcher to chop chicken breasts before your eyes? Need a $10 jar of fancy tomato sauce? Sendik’s on Downer is the independent grocery store for high-quality foods, hard-to-find specialty items, and attentive customer service. As you might expect, prices are sometimes high, owing to the unique stock. Anchoring the Downer Avenue commercial strip on Milwaukee’s East Side, Sendik’s has made a name for itself in the Milwaukee area as the store of choice among the city’s elite. Luckily, the clientele isn’t entirely comprised of snotty housewives and fastidious single men. There are plenty of UWM students who frequent the place too. Perhaps the best reason to come to Sendik’s are the butchers, whose knowledge is readily accessible as they proudly stand behind a case full of excellent meats. Everything they cut and wrap is fresh, exceeding minimum standards for quality. The other main reason to frequent this independent store is the stock of sometimes obscure items, like almond butter or saskatoons. The selection of “regular” grocery items is not incredibly diverse, though, so don’t plan on having a full selection of brands.

4. Koppa’s Farwell Foods (and Fulbeli Deli)
1940 N. Farwell Avenue
414-273-1273
Accessible from MCTS Bus Routes 30 and 15

If your idea of a funky independent grocery store involves well-placed humorous signs and an old-school Atari system set up for free play, then Koppa’s will be your home away from home. Bumper stickers say that “Koppa’s Feeds The Planet,” and while that may be hyperbole, they do feed a significant number of Milwaukee’s East Side denizens. A basic grocery store with a large liquor section and the amusingly titled Fulbeli Deli, Koppa’s is an entertaining place to shop, so I don’t recommend taking advantage of their delivery service unless you want to deflate the fun. The drawbacks to Koppa’s? First, prices are high, even for an independent grocery store. Second, I’m sorry to say that it’s not the cleanest place around. I have never experienced a problem with groceries I’ve purchased there or seen anything truly gross, but there is a grimy, runned-down quality to the store that makes me want to avoid anything but pre-packaged nonperishables.