PCC is my kind of grocery store. It is mainly free of the yuppies/SUV driving people, rather I find that more organic people flock here. A few good things: the smell, fresh produce and labeled local... More

PCC is my kind of grocery store. It is mainly free of the yuppies/SUV driving people, rather I find that more organic people flock here. A few good things: the smell, fresh produce and labeled local products. Yes, the smell. Its this sweet grocery store smell, that I have only found in a few other "co-op" markets. And second, the fresh produce is awesome. While it may not have the selection of Whole Paycheck, it is generally in good shape and not overpriced. And third, they label (next to the price) which products are "northwest produced." I find the prices to be a bit steep on certain items, but that is where it pays to be an intelligent shopper. I get a few things here, others at Whole Paycheck and TJs, then I am set. The product selection in most branches is also fairly diverse. I like the Fremont store and the Issaquah store the mostly due to their size, but the Greenlake store reminds you of their small(er) roots. Oh, and one time I was unsure of which cheese to get, so they let me sample 3 of them. And another time, I wanted some coffee but the clerk wasn't sure which was the best, so she literally gave me almost 2 lbs of different coffees to try, all free. While this is somewhat common in specialty grocery stores, I felt privledged.
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The PCC isn’t a co-op like some other co-ops that I have been a part of on the East Coast. You don’t get any money back at the end of the year and you don’t show your card every time you buy... More

The PCC isn’t a co-op like some other co-ops that I have been a part of on the East Coast. You don’t get any money back at the end of the year and you don’t show your card every time you buy something. Instead, being a member gets you the monthly newsletter, which is actually quite informative and full of interesting articles and recipes. It also gets you discounts at their cooking classes. Finally, on the 15th and 16th of each month you get 5% off your purchases, and once a month you can use a 10% off coupon that is sent to you monthly. As a vegetarian, I really appreciate the high quality organic fruits and vegetables. It definitely makes a difference. The Fremont store also has as great selection of cheeses, and the deli has some nice selections. There is even a toiletries section, and a large variety of vitamins and supplements. Plus, the PCC in Fremont has a large selection of wine. The only downside to the PCC is that it is pretty expensive, as organic food is. The extra cash you spend, however, is going to support the organic movement as well as local farmers in the Puget Sound. If you can afford it, I think it is more than worth it.
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