Why your local grocer is the healthiest place to shop.
Over the summer, I had the absolute pleasure of being connected with the owner of the locally owned grocery store Zero Waste Emporium. We met for coffee to talk about the possibility of them carrying my work and I was immediately won over by their business structure and community values. Yes, it was (and still is) exciting that they were willing to carry my art, but I was equally excited that these individuals were working so hard to build a healthy community in whatever way they could.
You might be thinking “Is this just a long-winded plug so that I’ll go down to the shop and buy your art?”. I’ll be honest - in part, yes. I would love to see my work purchased - please go buy my art. But that is as far as I’ll take that plug, because this business deserves a hundred write-ups and I want to focus on the beautiful work they are doing.
When I went into the store to put my work up on their walls, there were a number of things that really stood out to me. Zero Waste has a little store front on Douglas Street in Victoria. The exterior is relatively nondescript and the street itself feels a bit cold. When you walk inside, though, you are immediately transported into a cozy comfort zone. Honestly, it feels like you are walking into a warm blanket or a hug. The work that has been done to build this space into a community hub is not only apparent in the selection of products, but in the way the employees engage with each other and their customers.
I was sitting at a table in the corner - set up in the window with newspapers, colouring books for kids and free coffee (the coffee was for the adults, not the kids although I’m not going to tell you how to parent). I was working away on some final bits that would go up with my work and a customer walked in. Rudy, the employee standing at the counter, knew the customer by name. He offered him some help based on his usual purchases and engaged in a casual conversation while the customer picked up their basket and reviewed their shopping list. This might seem like a small thing to notice but I was floored. Rudy had clearly taken the time to get to know this person and treated them like a neighbour. I got the feeling that this individual wasn’t necessarily special - this was just how people got treated when they walked into the store.
Now, let’s go back to that table for a second. This is a grocery store. That has a warm place to sit and free coffee. Sometimes, there’s even homemade cookies. I’m sorry but when’s the last time you went out shopping and could sit for a moment with a cup of coffee to sip on while catching up on community news? Honestly, I sat there thinking “this is what I want our future to look like.”
Speaking of tables - have you ever made the decision to host a big family meal and realized that you don’t have nearly enough dishes for everyone you’ve invited? This is something that has come up for me in the past. Having always lived in relatively small apartments, I generally only have room for what is needed from day-to-day. I don’t have space to carry an abundance of dishes and cutlery for those once-in-a-blue-moon situations when company fills my space. Zero Waste has a solution for this! At the back of their store you can find a dish-loan centre. It’s like a library but for dishes. Honestly, if I wasn’t already fawning over the space at this point, this single fact would have done it for me. How thoughtful and perfectly aligned with their goal to encourage a community that uses less and shares more.
Their selection of products is also a clear indicator that these guys don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk. Wherever it’s possible, there is a direct connection between their products and local producers. From the fresh fruit and veggies that come from local farms to the locally made ice cream they have stocked in their freezer - they make the effort to connect and collaborate with the community, making it easier for their customers to invest in our little island. They have space for local artists to sell their work and they are in the process of bringing in works from local authors as well. Every inch of the store speaks to their values and the effort they make to build a better tomorrow.
We are coming up to the time of year when as a society, we shop hard. Some of that shopping is in preparation for gift-giving, some of it is simply getting your kitchen ready to host night after night. It’s a beautiful time of year where we gather to connect, share and care for one another. Making the choice to shop at a space like Zero Waste means that you are not only sharing the goods with your direct loved ones, you are sharing with an entire community. It might seem like a small choice, but every dollar, every pound of flour, every gift card adds up. If you are in the financial space to do so, please, this year invest in your local grocer. Specifically, please invest in Zero Waste Emporium. Those little efforts go further than you might think.
Oh, and lastly, go check out Zero Waste’s website. It’ll give you a clear understanding of how far this community stretches AND they share some great recipes. How cool is that?
https://www.zerowasteemporium.com/