Seward Community Co-op

So many options. Great atmosphere. So happy to be part of this community! If you are looking for a coop this is it. Their meat department is on point

When this place was first being built, I thought in my mind «oh no, not another grocery store and not another co-​op.» That means I obviously had a lot of doubts as it was built. I stepped in there for the first time recently. My doubts I originally had were proven wrong. It really wasn’t nearly as bad as I was thinking.
There are tons of delightful ethnic foods that I can’t find at The Dollar Store, where I normally do my grocery shopping. I’m amazed at the variety of things. The prices are a little high, but I became a member and got a membership card, and the prices drop when I show the clerk my card. The one downside is that the hot produce isn’t always fresh. That means I have to look at the expiration date before I grab it. The clerks are delightful to be around.
This is where I’ll go if I can’t find something I want at The Dollar Store.

Absolutely freaking NOT! I have repeatedly informed staff and management about poor rotation of perishable foods. Newest foods go to the back of the shelf. As does ANY product even if not perishable. This is the case even for hardware stores. I have repeatedly found dated food from 4 months ago that have now spoiled on the back of the shelf. If moved to the front when replenishing shelves they would have sold when still fresh.
Lastly
One of the grocery baggers placed RAW chicken on top of the bad directly on top the bag and on top of raw spinach. Raw chicken juices dripped down the entire bag ruining about $ 150 worth of food. Raw meats go on THE BOTTOM of the bag.
Gross negligence like this will get people seriously ill

I am going to start off by saying that I live in Linden Hills and have a membership at the Seward Coop (not the Linden Hills Coop or The Wedge). It’s really simple. If you want the best selection of unique, local and organic ingredients then your best option in the Twin Cities is the Seward Coop. It is my happy place. They have the most gorgeous produce in town. They also have an extremely friendly staff. If you care about where your food comes from and what to support a fantastic local business this would be a fantastic place to start.

**This review is for the new location at 38^th street** I live a block away and was really waiting for this to open. They are new so lines are long staff inexperienced and kinks need to be ironed out but all in all i have to say they have the best hot bar. So many international flavours. The eggplant dish is so tasty. They have ethiopian dishes which rock! The baked goods are delish and like stated b4 only issues i have will change with time they also need to get snap program working so that everyone can afford the delicious healthy food they have. Otherwise yaay glad to have them in my neighbourhood!

The best you will find for fresh, organic foods. The produce section is the most wonderful I have ever seen. Good choices throughout store. Staff always extremely pleasant and helpful. The deli section is outstanding — I have many times had the most healthful, tasty salads there are to be found anywhere. Sandwiches also great (although be patient while they are prepared). Same goes for the wonderful fruit smoothies. Parking is a serious problem at the Seward Co-​op — it is small relative to the traffic, and while managed by staff when very busy, it is an example of being overwhelmed by success.

I love the Seward Co-​op! They have a great variety of local and organic foods and products — I truly appreciate the selection. The store does a great job of doing business in a sustainable, environmentally-​friendly way, which to me is very important. The bulk section is wonderful and extensive. The cashiers are always very friendly. While it doesn’t have as «fancy» a feel as some stores such as Whole Foods, I appreciate its mission and am completely content as it has so many healthy and natural options available. Love the Café! There is always something interesting and tasty to eat here. My favorite eats here is the organic black beans with brown rice… it’s only a $ 1.50 and it’s oh — so YUMMY! Oh… and the pastries are out of this world. LOVE, LOVE the cream puffs and eclairs! The coffee is sooooo good too. I usually stop by here with my shopping stop @ United Noodles since it’s in the same area!

Love this place. The produce is usually very good. The cheese section is excellent. There are always different samples scattered about the store. Staff members are pleasant and helpful.
But I do have two complaints: (1) The parking lot is horrible (and dangerous? seriously just park on the street and avoid that situation altogether). (2) It’s not a great place to buy plain old just-​peanuts-​and-​salt peanut butter. They’ve got a bunch of different brands of peanut butter that all seem to contain sweeteners and fillers to keep the oil solid at room temperature… it’s bizarre.

I LOVE Seward Co-​op. I spend way too much money here, especially on the hot bar. They always have a fantastic selection of foods. I try something new almost every time I’m there and have yet to get something I didn’t like. Extra props for the jerk chicken, lentil soup and chicken tikki masala.
I also buy all my eggs at Seward. My favorites are from schultz’s, a farm out of Owotanna.

I’m torn, guys. Co-​ops are brilliant and necessary and wonderful. This place is great food, sold by really nice people. I want to shop here all the time and support these guys, but who can afford it? Everything is incredibly expensive. If I made about $ 60,000 more per year, I would be into it. But I can not spend $ 8.50 for a small tub of ice cream and look myself in the face the next morning. I can not. If you looked at that price and didn’t see the problem, I strongly recommend you shop here. If you coughed blood a little like I did, save it for when you really need the Cadillac of beets.

Sure it’s pricey, but can you beat the service or the good-​for-​the-​community vibes? Plus the salad bar is great!

I’m reviewing the Seward Community Co-​op mostly to boast about the smoothie bar. Nowhere in Minneapolis have I found comparable healthy, delicious smoothies. In love with the Avo Omega, but there’s definitely a list of others that look just as tempting. I drive down the most aggravating street I’ve ever encountered (East Franklin Avenue) for miles just to get it, usually after a workout. It’s become my weekend routine.
… Sometimes I decide to also buy groceries here. Probably not the best idea since the last time this happened — I spent $ 100 on a bag and a half of food. This place is really expensive. Not bad though if you’re just picking up a few items. The cheese selection looks out of this world.
The parking lot = miserable. Yikes. Be alert. But there’s street parking near.
Overall, the store is a little cramped and I typically don’t find everything that I need here. I’m not a bulk shopper or a co-​op member though. I’ll still keep going back!

I’m probably not the best reviewer for co-​ops because I’m not a regular co-​op shopper, nor can I afford to be, but my visit served its purpose and taught me to pick up what I need at my regular grocery store haunt.
First off, the parking lot is a pain. Cramped and hard to maneuver in and out of. I have never seen such a big bike rack at a grocery store.
I needed an avocado and a handful of grape tomatoes to round out a salad I was making. At their prices I was tempted to eat the whole damn avocado. Skin, seed and all. At 2.69 a piece. Really? There was no way I was letting any of that go to waste.
Nice cheese selection.
I did pick up a wonderfully tasty loaf of rye bread. It was good, but again, not the norm I would spend for bread. A one time indulgence.
I learned that if you purchase a gift card, you can use them at any of the co-​ops which is a bonus and a cool perk for the recipient.
Like I said, I’m probably not the best reviewer of co-​ops since I’m not a regular and most likely don’t plan on becoming one. People have all their own reasons for shopping where they shop. I wish I had the discipline to eat super healthy, but for now Seward will be a place to say, «been there and tried it.»

This is a really, really nice co-​op, and I enjoy visiting every time I go. I tend to spend a lot of time in the bulk aisle — it is really just astonishingly awesome. I love the peanut butter machine (I realize a lot of stores have these too but I still love it). I love the variety. I love that they have bulk chia seeds. Because why not? And of course the produce selection is excellent. It’s also a great place to find items that you’d normally go to Whole Foods for — whatever falls into that category for you. The parking lot is big and parking is generally not an issue. Store is clean, friendly and appealing with its bright green décor. Staff is friendly. Prices are higher in line with what you’d pay at other co-​ops or similar stores. Last time we were in, I asked about ownership and found that it’s a pretty reasonable $ 75. Something to ponder…

Excellent grab-​n-​go deli salads, sandwiches, desserts, etc. Plus delicious salad and hot bars!

I currently hold a membership with a different co-​op because it was more convenient in my last neighborhood. Since I’ve moved, however, I have utilized the Seward Co-​op countless times and plan on becoming a member soon. This place is clean, well-​stocked, everyone is friendly, and it’s a community gathering spot in addition to being a fantastic store. Plus, they’ve made several sustainable design efforts (rain barrels, for example) which is totally admirable.
If you have any dietary restrictions, you probably already know that co-​ops are one of the best and easiest ways to locate specialty products. Plus, they have an amazing produce section (which is particularly helpful in the winter months when farmers markets are no longer bursting at the seams with delicious everything). They have a top-​notch meat/​fish counter which has wonderful seafood and bison (the only animals I occasionally consume, and I feel way better about buying them from here!). Their deli selection and salad/​hot bars are stupendous and make for great on-​the-​go meals. Also, I don’t eat cheese but my man cannot walk into this place without sampling at least one fancy cheese and buying some to eat with crackers back at home.
My budget has never allowed (and continues not to allow) me to do my shopping exclusively at the co-​op (though I’d love to be able to buy their natural cosmetics, supplements, etc… someday!) but I always leave here feeling good about my purchases, and there are SO, so many reasons to keep coming back.

I’m a regular at the co-​op – both as a grocery shopper & a café internet dweller. And the boy goes here at least once a day, sometimes twice (not even an exaggeration).
It takes a bit to get used to the set-​up and different options if you’re used to a «regular» grocer. That said, they really have everything you want/​need – it’s just maybe in some crazy hippie natural or organic form. ;) And they have Jeni’s ice cream – that makes up for anything you can’t find.
They have a great salad bar & hot bar for dining in or out. This is always a great «lazy» option for a quick but (usually) healthy meal. And there are usually cheese samples awaiting my arrival. Yay for cheese!
I kind of hate the parking lot but parking is always a bit annoying at busy places, no? At least it’s not as crazy as Trader Joe’s. And you can round up your total to donate to a monthly cause & drive off feeling like a champ!

Let’s pretend that Seward Co-​Op and the Wedge were in the Olympics, the results would look something like this…
Produce variety — Wedge, silver
Produce presentation — Seward, silver
Bread — Wedge, gold
Deli — Wedge, bronze
Bakery — Seward, bronze
Cheese — Seward, bronze
Meat — Seward, silver
Seafood — Seward, bronze
Grocery variety — Wedge, bronze (nb: more options isn’t always better though)
Frozen — Seward, silver
Bulk variety — Wedge, gold
Bulk presentation — Seward, silver
Spices — Seward, silver
Coffee — Seward, silver
Wellness — Seward, bronze
Prices — Seward, bronze
Customer service — Seward, silver
Store samples — Seward, silver
Store aesthetics — Seward, silver
Parking lot — Seward, bronze
Website — Seward, silver
If Seward Co-​Op and the Wedge got into a *bar fight* at C.C. Club, the Wedge would win.
—-
cross-​posted to The Wedge review.

Hey! I really like this place.
By the way, crowded parking lots and grocery aisles are a good things.
I am sorry some folks never learned to park well, but that just makes it a little more challenging to shop. And just remember, good things in life can be challenging.
Being a member is cool because I have a little ownership in an entity that is trying to do good things for people and the earth. I even like that I can «round» my grocery total up to help other folks eat. More people should round up.
There is always something interesting and tasty to eat in the Café. I mean, where else can you get organic black beans topped with fried plantains & a drizzle of cilantro sour cream sauce for dinner. Think about it?
Meats, vegetables, fruits, cheeses — Its all good.
They even carry fresh Rustica breads! I love bread.
So, go to the Seward and buy stuff. It helps everyone.

Every single person who works here is so dang nice. I swear, even on the coldest days of winter they smile and welcome me to their little green island of organic goodness as if the sun rises on the horizon of their produce counters.
The prices are a bit high but they are comparable to any of the other co-​ops in the Twin Cities. Everything is fresh. They have tons of great local brands. As a broke grad student, I usually only go here when I’m feeling fancy and I want tri-​color quinoa but I always have a good experience.

You know you’ve hit upon a great business when you actually consider moving from sunny Los Angeles to Polar Vortex-​prone Minneapolis because of a grocery store. Fantastic. While I was visiting as an out-​of-​town guest, I found a most impressive selection of groceries here. Prices and quality were very good. And what an array of bulk items: well organized, priced reasonably and seemed to have everything one could possible need.
The best thing for me, though, was the breakfast. I had the Pecan French Toast and the Beet Hash, both of which were out of this world. The French Toast may have been the best I’ve ever had anywhere. The Beet Hash sounded strange but tasted fantastic. (Tip: Dip an onion from the Beet Hash in the Pecan Sauce from the French Toast. Incredible.) Fresh coffee was decent but not completely outstanding, maybe due to the particular roast that I selected.
Highly recommended!

Seward Co-​op turns me into one of those people that lurk around grocery stores daily, looking at everything even though they already know the store by heart. But then again, with its selection and quality, people SHOULD stop and look at everything.
The produce variety is good, the bulk section is impressive, the hot bar and prepared foods I’ve had are tasty, the staff is friendly (even though I sometimes feel like I’m interrupting them from discussing some upcoming show with my questions), but what REALLY impresses me and brings me back is the meat section.
Oh yes. The meat section at Seward Co-​op, in my opinion, is probably one of the greatest in Minneapolis. There. I said it.
Word on the block is that the person who heads the meat department has some serious experience in the Twin Cities professional culinary scene. Not going to give more info in case I’m wrong… but I have a funny feeling that I’m not. Get the in-​house sausages. You’ll see what I mean. I honestly think the sausages at Seward give Kramarczuk’s a run for their money (blasphemous, I know, but they really are THAT good).
PLUS, they sell the bits and pieces you don’t normally see at grocery stores. I love to make my own stocks, and sometimes, for certain stocks, you need a bunch of pig feet. Or Chicken feet. Or ox-​tail and bone. I can buy all of these things at Seward, and I can trust that they’re all good and fresh.
The Seward Co-​op is a thousand times better than the Wedge, with only a smidgen of the pretentiousness and frustrating parking lot (but don’t get me wrong, Seward’s parking lot does suck). I love the diversity of customers I see at Seward too. Can’t recommend this place enough.

Of all the co-​ops in the Twin Cities, Seward is my favorite! Aside from the typical co-​op foodie finds and fuzzy feelings that go along with shopping at a co-​op, Seward stands out to me as the top because:
(1) Great dessert selection, including what seems to be the widest variety of vegan options compared to the other co-​ops
(2) Hot dish bar
(3) Spacious dining area surrounded by floor to ceiling windows

Damnit, Seward! Why can’t I get in and out of this place without getting in someone’s way? I’m small! I’m quick! This should be simple! It is never simple!
Your parking lot is treacherous, full of oblivious backer-​upers who don’t check their blind spots and aggressive pedestrians who stare you down while you try desperately to keep from killing them with your 4,000 lb. machine of steel.
Your aisles are JUST wide enough for two people to stand back-​to-​back to view either coffee (one side) or tea (the other) and just narrow enough for those two people to invariably knock elbows or carts. Or, god forbid, butts.
I come here nearly three times a week and still have to search every aisle to find what I’m looking for.
I avoid the bulk area whenever possible. There’s usually a gigantic line of carts/​loading carts/​supply carts in the middle of this aisle, making a teeny tiny walking space that is usually jacked up with abandoned carts, chatting college students, and parents who don’t believe in reining in their children’s creativity with rules.
Seward is turning me into a salty. Hater.