Mondragón Collective Opens Sacco & Vanzetti Grocery in Winnipeg
Dan Clore
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smygo
[Note that this is *not* the same Mondrag�n as the Basque cooperative
federation.--DC]
http://www.uptownmag.com/2009-12-17/page5052.aspx
Eating good in the neighbourhood
The Exchange District has its own grocery store thanks to the folks at
Mondrag�n
by Marlo Campbell
Winnipeggers who live in the Exchange District are getting an early
Christmas present this year - a neighbourhood grocery store and deli.
Sacco & Vanzetti's is the latest venture of the workers' collective
which runs Mondrag�n Bookstore and Coffeehouse, a business that, in its
13 years of operation, has come to be known as much for its radical
politics as its all-vegan menu.
Mondrag�n's existing location (91 Albert St.) has been remodeled to
accommodate the new store, which offers canned and packaged goods, bulk
foods and a year-round selection of fresh produce.
In keeping with the collective's commitment to providing sustainable,
socially responsible alternatives, the products sold at Sacco &
Vanzetti's are organic, fairly traded and sourced locally as much as
possible. In the summer, for example, Mondrag�n purchases fresh
vegetables from the Landless Farmers Collective, a small group that
grows organic produce on under-used urban land (this past summer, it
farmed a plot in front of the Pan Am Pool on Grant Avenue) and delivers
it via bicycle.
And yes, everything at Sacco & Vanzetti's is vegan, too - including the
assortment of sauces and take-away options available from the in-store deli.
The store's name is Mondrag�n's "homage to anarchism," says collective
member Esan Azore. Ferdinando Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were
Italian-born, working-class Americans who were executed in Massachusetts
in 1927 for armed robbery and murder. Both men belonged to a radical
anarchist group and claimed throughout their trial that they were being
unfairly persecuted because of their political beliefs; their execution
sparked protests and worker walkouts throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Azore says the collective sees the store as the next logical extension
of the services already offered by Mondrag�n, and he thinks it will be a
valuable asset to the neighbourhood.
"I think it's really necessary for us to be down here, just to at least
have that option for people who care about that aspect of their food,"
he says.
"I feel this place is a little bit of a hub - you hang out, you eat
food, you pick up your groceries. We want this space to be open and
foster that sense of community for everyone."
Sacco & Vanzetti's opens as the residential population of the Exchange
District continues to grow. Approximately 1,000 people now live in the
area, says Jarrett Storey, marketing and communications manager for the
Exchange District Biz - a number he notes has doubled since the 2006
census was conducted.
Until now, those who live in the Exchange have had few options in terms
of nearby grocery stores, and have had leave the district to shop at The
Forks, in the basement of The Bay, or in Chinatown.
However, in addition to serving local residents (as well as the
considerably larger day-time population, made up of students and office
workers), Storey thinks the new store - and the specialized niche it
fills - will likely draw people into the Exchange from around the city.
Sacco & Vanzetti's has been up and running since May, but the store's
official grand opening will be celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 19, with an
all-day party.
Things kick off at 10 a.m. with an all-you-can-eat brunch. Free food
samples will be offered throughout the day, and a variety of workshops
will be held throughout the afternoon, including recipe demonstrations
and a Jeopardy-style game about food politics. The evening will feature
a bistro dinner, followed by live music and DJs.
--
Dan Clore
New book: _Weird Words: A Lovecraftian Lexicon_:
http://tinyurl.com/yd3bxkw
My collected fiction: _The Unspeakable and Others_
(Wait for the new edition: http://hplmythos.com/ )
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News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
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"From the point of view of the defense of our society,
there only exists one danger -- that workers succeed in
speaking to each other about their condition and their
aspirations _without intermediaries_."
--Censor (Gianfranco Sanguinetti), _The Real Report on
the Last Chance to Save Capitalism in Italy_