Sugar Beet Food Co-op

I love small neighborhood stores. This store offers a walk up window for coffee and cafe items which I think is wonderful for people out walking or just want to grab a quick breakfast. The store offers everything from produce, cold items, household products, personal care and more. They have a section for grab and go sandwiches which I did get a multi grain turkey sandwich. Although the cost was $7 it was very well made and tasty. I also bought some almond scented soap, pancake mix, syrup, bagged coffee and two greeting cards. I think people who live in this neighborhood are very lucky to have a small store like this in their community. I will be back! The employees were pleasant and the store was very well organized.

Nice neighborhood store, everyone there is nice and the store always smells so great from all the bulk foods. My only concern is that they keep asking ‘are you an owner with us’? They are referring to membership in the co-op, but membership does not give any actual ownership of the store. In this age where fewer and fewer people actually own anything, I don’t think that’s a word that you should mess around with for marketing purposes.

A great spot! They have a wide selection of bulk goods, like: coffee, grains, candy, teas, etc. and when you bring your own containers to fill, you get 5 cents per container/reusable bag to donate to a charity. Super friendly & helpful staff. Can’t wait to try the juice bar, next time I’m in.

I love this place. Just relocated to the area and found this spot after a few weeks going to local chains. I'm not vegan but my partner is and Sugar Beet has us both well covered. If you care about what you're putting on your plate and shopping sustainably, this place is for you.

Plenty of healthy organic options! First time here and the staff is very friendly. Juicer juice was awesome!

I love the juice bar! Super green is so good and gives me energy like coffee without the buzz or crash. The vegan cookies are delicious!

This was a 5 star review, but I had to readjust. I love coming here daily, but I can't take the panhandling anymore. It's not just outside, but now inside the store, too. I would love to come back, but not until the panhandlers are under control.

The Sugar Beet Food Co-op is a delightful place. Everytime I go I notice new interesting products and special touches. I love that they have fresh grab and go snack and meal options. They also have a wonderful juice bar and other freshly made food options. Lots of interesting products I have never seen before. Always fun to eat and try new food! They have a very nice spice section, aromatherapy, face and body products, vitamins, supplements and a lot more! The prices are good. They have alot of locally grown produce and meats. I think it's cool how they try and be eco-freindly as possible. They even have re-usable bags for your groceries you can borrow and bring back the next time. The staff seems overall very commited to the mission of the co op. When I asked more about the place they said that it is open to everyone to shop and there are individuals in the community that invested in the business to get it up and running. I would definitely recommend checking out Sugar Beet..even if your not super healthy enthusiast- I think you would still find it a yummy and fun experience!

Excellent vegan and gluten free selection. Meat and fish Pretty extensive wine,beer and liquor offerings. I am a member of this co-op

I feel a bit betrayed, to be honest, by how this place has changed. They seem to have stopped caring about supporting local farmers, with most of the produce now sourced from the same distributor that sources for Whole Foods. I went several times this spring, and saw no local asparagus; now it's the middle of summer, and aside from hydroponic greens, there's nothing local in the shelves. This compared to Tomato Mountain Farm, which has pretty much every vegetable or fruit that grows in this region, or Prairie Food Coop in Lombard, or any of half a dozen coops in the city, not to mention the farmers markets. Also, at all of these places, you know exactly where the fruits and vegetables are coming from, which has never been the case here. (Even when they did have local produce, the farm it came from wasn't mentioned.) Their bulk and spices section is still great, as are their bakery items, such as their regular deliveries from Publican. But I mainly shop for fruits and veggies, so there's not a reason, anymore, for me to come here regularly.

Sugar Beet is a good option in the neighborhood because they are a sure thing to have niche "healthy options" you might not find at other stores. Their produce is marked up compared to the other stores, but they have the good stuff if you need it. They're also a sort of an incubator for seedling companies or small farms to get their product on the shelf.

I really like this business for their variety of soups. This is the lentil vegetable made at home and the flavors of the veggies are delicious. Plus the broth is very flavorful veggie taste and not salty. I added in a bit of pasta to round it out. Everyone working is very nice and knowledgeable about the inventory. I've never had to wait too long on the line as it moves swiftly. The shelves are very well stocked and the business is very chic, for sure. There are so many choices of very healthy foods with great ingredients in the products. It is hard not to buy one of everything.

The Erewhon of Chicago Suburbs. If you're an organic/gluten-free/dairy-free girlie, this spots for you. Such fresh produce, great selection of items, and my favorite: their smoothie and juice bar. In comparison to Whole Foods, Sugar Beet has much more affordable options and I believe the quality matches as well I'll usually shop for my non-perishables and meat at an Aldi and come to Sugar Beet for my snacks, dairy substitutes, and fun snacks. Definitely one of my fav spots in Oak Park!

Staff must have changed up. It used to be warm and friendly. Everyone is prickly and curt this past few months. Plus the prices are higher than a Whole Foods. I've decided to stop going here.

usually great, but beardy mcGrumpy pants never gives you beet bucks I do love this place but it's a roll of the dice when it comes to who rings you up, if it's him, you are done, simmering bitter rage and no beet bucks

The good? Great selection of loose spices and teas. Generally kind employees and good service. If you're not a member, they still for the most part treat you kindly. The variety of vegan/gluten free stuff is probably a godsend if you've those dietary needs. The bad? I say "generally", and "for the most part" because there is at least one guy (can't remember his name, but very healthy head of hair), who doesn't know how to bag groceries (eggs and bread on bottom of the bag, heavy stuff on top, etc). I asked this same guy at the end of October about when we can order thanksgiving turkeys, and he couldn't give me an answer, couldn't refer me to anyone in the store who would know, told me the manager would know but couldn't tell me when they'd be in. (And I've ordered in the past--they have a tasty Turkey connect). And then he put my eggs and bread in the bottom of the bag. I unpacked the bag right there in front of him and bagged it correctly. (My baggage skilled were cultivated a lifetime ago at a Dominick's on Green Bay Rd. I still take pride in that junk.) He literally ignored me. So my point is, this place is on the whole ok, but there are some holes customer service wise.

We have been members for a year and it is such a great co-op. Everything is such high quality!

Every time I rode pass this place I kept telling myself to stop. On yesterday on my way to my pilate class I had a few minutes to spare I decided to check this place out. Sugar Beet Food Co-op is located in Oak Park and is owned by a group of people from the community. Small but a full-service, co-op grocery store that provides the neighborhood with many source of sustainable healthy and organic food products. There are so many healthy brands throughout the store that I have never seen in other grocery stores. Friendly and helpful staff. Regina one of the owners stopped me and we talked about the history of the store and some of products that they carried. In front of the store in the corner is a café where you can get juice, smoothies and coffee freshly made. Great customer service. Polite Staff. Very helpful. Lots of bulk and eco-friendly choices for you to shop. If you enjoy eating healthy I recommend Sugar Beet Food Co-op it's a one of a kind grocery store filled with healthy and organic foods fresh from the farmer. Be sure to check out some of their upcoming in store events. April Food Swap Food Come share & be social with a few fellow cooks, growers & producers. Sunday, April 14, 2019 1:00 PM 2:30 PM (Free)

Everything I needed I found and The Sugar Beet Food Co-op. Store was fully stocked and organized and employees were knowledgeable and was able to direct me to everything I needed.

i went in for just a smoothie at the drink counter. They made the drinks of the people behind me before they made mine! I will never return. Lousy service & overpriced smoothies.

This store is so on top of the safety guidelines during this pandemic. One of the few stores I've been to that is this diligent. Bravo! The entrance has a worker who checks for masks and social distancing. They have even gone to the extent of doing a headcount to ensure social distancing constantly. Talk about going above and beyond! They have signs all over the store to enforce social distancing and masks. They even instruct you to use the hand sanitizer before you proceed further into the store. I felt safe the entire time and confident I could social distance during my time there. Wish more stores/businesses would follow their example. Thank you for your hard work. All items are super organized and the aisles were all clean. I'd gladly come back again.

Excellent customer service! And a wonderful range of healthy foods, etc. I always look forward to doing my shopping there.

I just had a most wonderful visit! I popped in for some organic fruit- got it, including some kind of magical apricot I'd never tasted before- but also found so many other nice surprises like my favorite dulse, fresh Lea baguettes, purple potatoes and this fun super soft Oak Park tee-shirt. Staff members are extraordinarily helpful. Easy free lot parking across the street. Love the mission. I will definitely shop here more often.

Top class organic sustainable products. Love the bring your own container aisle where you can use your empty bottles and containers to fill up laundry detergent, dish soap bottle and even sauces like soy. Save the planet from more plastic containers! An Oak Park gem. I wish I had a store similar to this where I live.

This was my first time visiting this store, I really like the atmosphere and the variety of products, I wish they had scales to weigh the fruits and veggies, other than that it's a nice store

We are so lucky to have this store in Oak Park! Here's just the latest example of their awesomeness: My husband and I have been stuck at home with Covid, and after nine days in quarantine, were in dire need of a ton of groceries and cold medicine. I ended up placing a pick up order with Jewel in River Forest. Now, I will hand it to Jewel, they did an excellent job packing the groceries and facilitating a contact free exchange where I didn't even need to crack open a window. It was my lone trip out of my apartment, and I wanted to be as safe as possible, and they made that happen. But they were sold out of a few things, and whoever packed my bags was under the impression curly parsley was a good substitute for Italian parsley. How was I going to make tabouli salad without Italian parsley? I had all the other ingredients. But I couldn't exactly go into another grocery store to buy some. So I called Sugar Beet, and spoke with Juliet. She took my credit card info over the phone, and shopped for me! She not only got me my parsley, she picked up a few other items I wasn't able to get from Jewel. I pulled up in front of the store, made a quick call, and out she came with my bag to put in my trunk. I am so looking forward to being out of quarantine so I can return to Sugar Beet and do my own shopping. They are my go-to for cheese, cherry tomatoes, whole grains, microgreens, prepared soups and sandwiches, and condiments. It's a great store to just wander through, and I always find new things to try! Thank you, Juliet, for your help. The tabouli turned out great.

I use to love to go shopping here but the last 5 times I have come in and some homeless man keep begging me for to pay for his groceries. It's very uncomfortable. I said something to one of the staff members and they seems to think it's ok-well it's not. He is there everyday. I have found a new place to shop for my groceries without having to feel bad. I can't afford groceries for my family and work 2 jobs-I don't need this.

I went there for the first time last week. 1. Super helpful employees and welcoming atmosphere. 2. Great selection of products, some at surprisingly competitive prices. 3. They support local farms and have tons of locally produced products. 4. Their produce section could have been better but perhaps it was just that day. It looked a little old.

One of the beat markets in our area. They have fresh vegetables, fruits and so much more. Come become a supporter and coop owner so we can continue to enjoy them.

I feel so lucky that the Sugar Beet Food Co-op opened up just 3 blocks from my home. The bulk food and spices actually save me money. I can find anything I need here including wonderful bottles of wine and some unique ice cream brands. The monthly circulars have some great price cuts. The Sugar Beet is a GEM-- real people, selling real food and not some silly automated check out talking to me. It is small but mighty and if you have questions or concerns there are folks that can help.

I usually pass this location on my way to wholefoods and decided to check this place out. WOW. I am so glad I discovered this place. This location has a lot or organic and non GMO foods to choose from. They have lots of things that I haven't seen in other healthy grocery stores. Plus they sell westown bakery cake balls!! Small treat for shopping. They have lots of quick meals already made for lunch. They sell soups, coffee, salads and sandwiches. They have a lot coupons throughout the store which is great! Parking is easy to find. If you love to make coffee at home this is the best choices I have ever seen in a grocery store. Lots of bulk teas, legumes, grains , flour, granola and chocolate. Even seasonings. Don't forget the clearance isle.

The Sugar Beet co-op is a great place to stop while I'm taking my daily walks around the neighborhood. They have a smoothie/coffee bar at the entrance that is usually my first stop. I normally get the strawberry mango smoothie made with avocado instead of the traditional yogurt. I also tend to buy fruit, dark chocolate, and snacks from the bulk section. I recently purchased a vegan BLT. I am not vegan, but it was surprisingly really good. I have enjoyed each item I purchased from the Co-op. The one draw back - the prices. It is a bit on the expensive side. My 16 oz. smoothie runs me about $8. It is a smaller grocery store - you won't find everything you need, but if you have people in your life with allergies - The Sugar Beet has a lot of options. The staff is kind and there is a table to sit at if you want to hang out with your smoothie or scone.

You might say this review is biased because I'm an owner (one of 1000+) -- but that, of course, is the point. In a cooperative store, we all have a stake and we all contribute to making it what we want it to be. And in the case of Sugar Beet, that means not only it is a beautiful store that focuses on local and sustainable products but it's about building a community around issues of food justice. As far as the store is concerned, after visiting on the very first "soft opening" day -- putting aside the expected technical glitches -- you can see how much the Sugar Beet has met and exceeded its vision. The store is elegantly designed and beautifully curated. I love that it truly able to be a one-stop grocery store. Prices were competitive with other "health food" stores (and will certainly be tweaked as time passes), but more importantly, ALL of your money goes back to the community, so you money does so much more that it would do anywhere else. As far as creating community, well, just start following the Sugar Beet on social media (or become an owner!) and you realize that this is so much more than a store. Over the past couple of years of build up, I've attended events focused on education, social justice, and entertainment -- and met old and new neighbors along the way. What more to say? Join the revolution.

I'm not shopping here anymore. Every time I come here come homeless man asks me to pay for his groceries. It's uncomfortable. When I spoke to the staff they could care less about what this consumer has to say. Good bye Sugar Beet.

The co-op is the best grocery in Oak Park. Their staff are attentive, knowledgeable, eager to help, and come across as instant friends. Fantastic choice of healthy, ethical, and sustainable foods.

I've bought into 2 other co-ops in my life and this one is the BEST. Their prepared food is to die for. Their chef's bowls, salads, sandwiches and soups are healthy and worth the price. Plus they have most of the specialty items you can get at whole foods but theirs are cheaper (not all but many of them...)! Their staff makes you feel like you're their long time neighbor and they are both knowledgeable and attentive. If your diet is vegan, paleo, keto, or vegetarian this is the place to go. If you don't have a specific dietary inclination but prefer quality, local,sustainable food, this is the place to go. If you believe in community and top notch customers service...that's right...choose the Beet!

The only place in the city that still had my the 40 oz Rosé in stock when I needed it most. For that, I will forever love Sugar Beet. Sugar Beet, you are the real MVP

on the madison st. side of sugar beet the signage is kind of ripped up so it says "u a beet". smells nice in here. there is a water fountain to drink from. great mutsu apples.

I'm writing this review a few weeks after my visit to Sugar Beet, I wanted to make sure that before writing it I was not reviewing out of emotion and sorry to say I still have a high distaste in my mouth from an interaction with an employee here and I will NOT be returning to support anything that is remotely associated with being uppity & rude. Let me start by saying that I am a Whole Foods shopper & in the 8 years of avidly purchasing my groceries & whole body care items there I have never experienced anyone unwilling to help, judgmental or snooty like I did at the Sugar Beet. I was so excited to come and support this place that was until I was asked by one of the employees if I needed help, when I proceeded to talk to her about what I was looking for she then asked me if I was familiar with the EWG and I said yes and proceeded to explain my findings; in the middle of me talking to her she blatantly turned around and started a full on conversation with another employee. I stood there and waited for her to be finished talking so we can continue our conversation and she turned around and walked away from me. She was also the one who rang me up, she was snooty, uppity, and quiet frankly tried to give me the feeling I wasn't good enough to shop there. While everyone else was nice, especially Gina, I will not be shopping there and will stick to supporting Whole Foods where people are actually nice.

I am big into locally sourced, organic and non-GMO foods so the idea of The Sugar Beet Co-op definitely appeals to me. The place is about the size of a large convenience store except the shelves and refrigerators are stocked with conscientious alternatives to familiar foods. Their size restricts the variety of items they have. For example, I found all kinds of pork products but no ground beef. One of the things I purchased was a pre-made deli sandwich. I brought it home to M and we shared it for dinner. We thought it tasted fresh and used high quality ingredients. It was a great price. There was an employee poking around the shelves who didn't speak to me or acknowledge my presence as I wandered the couple of isles. Nobody offered to help. The check out guy was friendly. The lady at the cafe counter made my drink but chatted exclusively with another customer instead of me.

I work very close to the Sugar Beet. And every single interaction I've had there has been extremely positive. The staff consistently greets you, makes sure you are doing okay, and the store is clean and well organized. Their hours are great and their prices are comparable to Whole Foods but you are supporting local, so I always opt to shop here over Whole Foods. Recently, we came here to see if we could find the vegan Tofurkey Pepperoni Pizza. We did not, but the staff person that asked if we were doing okay happened to also be the shopper for the store. So we told him what we were looking for and he said they did not carry it, but he will order it and it will be at the store in a matter of a few days. And we did not have to purchase a full case, even though he had to purchase a full case to stock it. So he ordered it and we went a few days later, and there it was! Stocked and cheaper than he quoted! It's 2016 and customer service seems to be getting scarce these days so whenever I have a great customer service experience the business will gain a customer for life. Thanks Sugar Beet!

I thought the promise of this place was great, reading about it for a year or two in the local news. Sure, there are some great products here, but part of their mission was to be supportive of low income families. That is a joke. The cheapest piece of cheese I saw was $7. What if one wanted normal sliced bread? A half gallon of milk for less than $3.50? It is quite a bit more expensive than Whole Foods, but with a stock even more slanted towards unsubstantiated health food trends.

Love Sugar Beet! Wonderful selection of things. Great selection of wine and craft ales. We haven't had a bad bottle of wine yet. Reasonable prices, too. It's always a pleasure to shop here, unlike some of the larger grocery chains.

Huge Disappointment. After waiting for quite awhile for this store to open, I stopped in today. It is a nice little store, but I felt most of the fruits and vegetables were priced like Whole Foods - too high. I am all about helping the small local farmers and expect to pay a little more, but when I see something I purchase at the Farmers Market with a $2.00 increase, why buy at the co-op? I was surprised to see Healthy Valley soup and Amy's stuff, I can buy that anywhere. I liked the soaps, candles, oils, etc. but as far as the food selection and fresh produce I'm not impressed. I'll stick to Trader Joe's and am glad that I did not buy into the co-op, I wish the co-op and the owners good luck.

This is real competition for Whole Paycheck. I looked for all my vegan faves and pretty much found them all (they have nonveg stuff too tho). Prices were pretty comparable, but I imagine if the amount of business on opening day is any indication, the prices will drop. Also paid member owners get a discount. I think it's much better than Dill Pickle Co-op too. DP isn't a replacement for WP as much as an augment. SB has lots of staples. Staff is friendly, everything is clean and inviting. The aisles are big enough for two carts to pass as well. So take a trip out to the OP and check it out. It can't be beet.

Fantastic! The space is bright. Lots of fresh veggies, local goodies in all directions, and a great beer, wine, and spirits section. The staff members are happy to help and excited about the brand new co-op! Parking is easy. Check it out!

I just moved to the area so I found this place just driving by. It's got a really neat atmosphere and really helpful staff. I love supporting local businesses so I was even more happy to shop here for that reason. I will say, I ordered a smoothie while I was there and the prices seemed a bit steep for what it was. I would shop here for produce or speciality items.

Best grocery store I've been in. Amazing selection if health food I've never seen before. I'll definitely be back.

Clean Beautiful store with great prices but not a wide selection of meat but I would highly recommend this Co Op the fruit is ridiculous fresh.

I just happened to be checking yelp reviews and figured I'd pop in on my favorite store in the world, Sugar Beet. I'm perplexed at the people who say the staff is not friendly and doesn't acknowledge them upon walking in! The staff here are the best! I've been shopping there for 3 years tomorrow (reason I remember is I moved to OP 10/9 which was a day after the Walking Dead premier on the 8th when Glenn got killed...spoilers, but I digress) ANYWAY...I love this store. They special-order things for me, have no problem when the gift of gab overtakes me, always smiling and friendly. It's really the only place I shop because I love it and live so close I go there in my PJ's sometimes. And I love buying local products which are in abundance there. Kudos to the staff and owner! Love you guys!

This is my go-to for all my groceries every time I'm in town visiting family. It has everything I need and want at the absolute best quality. All of their brands and vendors are sustainable/local/organic etc and worlds above Whole Foods quality. Their wine, liquor and beer selection is especially top notch. Of course quality like this isn't cheap, but their prices are very reasonable considering and definitely less than Whole Foods. And it's a pleasure to shop in as it's never completely crazy busy, a smaller manageable size and all the employees are really helpful and pleasant. And I'd rather spend my dollars supporting a local business even more so now that Amazon has bought Whole Foods. Whole Foods was always style over substance--you pay mostly for branding--but now it's a no-brainer not to shop there. I don't want the Wal-Mart of food anywhere near my kitchen, so it's a relief for a small grocery business to be so on it. Sugar Beet is an Oak Park treasure.

I'm pumped that there is a co-op close to home. I get the feeling they are still getting used to being officially open, because some of the shelves were (still? newly?) empty when I was there. The fruits and veggies were all fresh and beautiful, and they had a massive selection of Wild Planet tuna. They have TONS of non-dairy choices, as well as bunches of faux meat products. They carry my favorite ginger beer, and I was pleased to find a small but diverse alcohol selection as well. The prices are a bit higher than I am used to, but I'm willing to pay it knowing so much of it is local and it's community owned. (Between The Sugar Beet and Ed's Way, I'll never have to go to Jewel again! Yay!)

Great store and amazing employees, I can't say enough. Cheaper and better than Whole Foods. Their prepped meals are incredibly delicious. Amazing and well informed employees. They were patient with my energetic children and my brother claims that their vegan pizza is great. I must try it!

I agree(with the other reviews) that it was hard to notice if the store was open or not. Being a part (store front) of an apartment building there might be restrictions on signage. However I liked the casual customer service, there were people around if I needed to ask questions, total no hassle shopping and totally easy to check out. Although it was pricey but the items were all local and organic so i expected it. I got a brick of munster cheese for like $5 which if I get the same brand at the farmers market would be smaller and cost $6. So that was a win for me.

Absolutely amazing. It's not a huge store but they manage to fit in a great selection of bulk items so you can bring your own containers and refill. The prices are pretty good as well. They have bulk Bronner's castille soap, eco-friendly dishwasher detergent, powdered and liquid laundry detergent, dish soap, hand soap, all purpose cleaner, oil, vinegars, liquid sweeteners, and more. Great for people trying to go zero waste/low waste/plastic free.

When Sugar Beet came to town-I thought, That's nice but not for me. Too expensive/I've got The Jewel Right Here/Etc. Then after a health catastrophe or three, a lot of reading and a unstern lecture from my friend (who happens to be a chef of fantasticness) about buying the best food you can AND the necessity of picking up some new-to-me ingredients-I started stopping in. I've been getting very small quantities of ingredients that come in bulk while I'm still in my-learning to cook a new way-phase which is seriously cool since it's just down the block on Madison. (And organic strawberries which were like jewels. Really. And only $2.99. Oh and the organic popcorn which pops at least one and a half as much as the kind that comes out of a plastic jar. Go figya.) I was there last Sunday when the skies opened up and Meg-who checked me out-offered to stroll me out to my car under one of their umbrellas(I didn't let her do it. I didn't want her to stand around all day with wet shoes on my behalf.) and okay, the idea that someone would offer to do that just astounded me. I sat in my car and thought about how on one side of Madison there could be a shooting and on this block of Madison there was a person like Meg.(The thing is I don't think she had any idea about how remarkable her offer really was.) And how could those two things co-exist on the same stretch of roadway. The only answer I could come up with, was if I wanted more of this and less of that I-now know where to put my support.

Over time I've grown to love Sugar Beets. They are just the right size for me with a great selection of foods and a wonderful staff!