May 2013:

A Sampler of recent suggestions of general interest ... and our answers:

I love the new store, but when I go by bus there is a problem crossing the street. I have to walk up to Forest Hills to safely cross the street.

Thanks for the feedback. There will be a crosswalk put in soon – hopefully by the summer - which will help people cross the street at our store. There will also be added on-street parking in front of the store to provide more parking and hopefully slow vehicles down as they come down the hill.

Thanks for hosting all those farms at our new store. Very nice – and smart - people - and I'm going to try a CSA this year.

You are welcome. We started our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) relationship with Red Fire Farm at the old Cambridge store back in 2008. The incredible growth of CSA's has truly been a joy to watch! Helping foster local economic diversity that includes local organic farms fits right in with our mission. Last year, we had 5 CSA's (and a CSF – Community Supported Fishery) distribute at the old store – we helped connect over 500 people directly with local organic farms on a weekly basis!

I'm very unhappy to discover that the Edensoy soymilk I have been buying for years at your store is funding an anti-women agenda. Since you say that you are conscientious about the products you sell in your store, I would like to know what action you are taking to address this.

The decisions we make are based on what our members and shoppers want. We focus on natural, local, organically and sustainably grown, but as a "hybrid" co-op, we also sell conventional products. Since we have over 4,000 members of all political persuasions, we never have used political criteria – except when it involves food or food safety - to decide what we sell. Many may decide not to buy Eden products anymore, and there are alternatives we sell which will probably sell better now. Thanks for the feedback.

What is the cost for a paper bag? I want to inform my tenant why he should use a cloth bag. Please email me at (unreadable)

No cost to you (except as a member owner), but about 9 1/2 cents to us – and you get 10 cents off when you bring in your own bag. Sorry, I can't read your email address – so I hope you get your answer here.

You need a pen at the suggestion book; and your beer selection is too eclectic. Please stock more popular brands (Sam Adams, Harpoon, etc.)

We do have a pen there – OK, we did. See that silver chain? That's where it was, but it keeps walking away (maybe with some human assistance). We try to carry smaller and more locally brewed Craft brewed beers, rather than beer you can get at any liquor store.