Frequently Asked Questions
Wheatsville
Open
Daily 7:30am-11pm
3101
Guadalupe
Austin TX 78705
512-478-2667
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Q: Why do the cashiers ask if I'm an owner or
ask me my owner number?
That's because we're a co-op. If you are a owner,
present your card to the cashier. If you're not yet an
ownber, we'd love you have you join and be a part of the
friendliest grocery store in Austin.
Q: What makes Wheatsville different?
WE OWN IT! Wheatsville is owned and operated by
people just like you - folks willing to work together to
provide for themselves. The motivating purpose of co-ops is
to serve the needs of the owners, not to generate a profit.
When the co-op makes a profit, it is cycled back into
Wheatsville to increase our services for you, the owners, or
if sufficient profit is made, it given back to the owners in
the form of a patronage refund. Join us in our mission to
provide high-quality food and nondoctrinaire information
about food to the Austin community.
Q: Can I shop if I'm not a member?
Yes. Everyone is welcome to shop at Wheatsville.
There is no extra charge for non-members. A certain number
of special Owner Deals are available to owners
only.
Q: Are members obliged to work a certain number of
hours in the store?
No. When Wheatsville first started out in 1976, we
relied entirely upon the membership to volunteer their labor
to run the store. Now we have paid staff who handle the
day-to-day operations.
Q: What kind of payments do you accept?
Wheatsville accepts credit cards (VISA, MasterCard,
American Express, and Discovery cards, debit cards, Co-op
Gift Cards, the Lone Star card, checks or cash. We're
charged a fee for each credit card transaction, so we
encourage the use of cash for small
purchases or sign
up for the Wheatsville Great Rate VISA® card offered
through the University
Federal Credit Union.
Every time you use
your UFCU Wheatsville VISA® card, whether it's at
Wheatsville or any other store, a portion of the fees
normally charged to the retailer will go back to your
friendly neighborhood grocery co-op. The more you use your
VISA® card, the more you contribute back to the growth
of Wheatsville.
For your convenience, we have a
University Federal Credit Union ATM located inside the
store. We accept local and out-of -town checks. In order for
a check to be accepted, please be prepared to show your
driver's license or state-issued ID. Owners can cash checks
up to $25 at the co-op.
Q: Can I use my friend's owner number?
If you are not yet a member, please do not use
someone else's owner number. Owners, please do not share
your number with people who are not owners. Instead let them
know how easy it is to become an owner of
Wheatsville.
Q: Why are some of the prices high?
All things being relative... they're not. But let's
clarify: Grocery stores traditionally sell items at low
markup and use volume as the way to achieve profit. Focusing
on volume, grocers strive to build a network of stores, and
lower their costs by cutting out third parties. For many
years now the trend has been to build as large a network as
possible and control as much of the production and
distribution as possible. Once a grocer has lowered costs
and increased volume sufficiently, they compete with "loss
leaders" (items sold below cost) to hook customers and drive
competitive grocers out of business.
At first blush, this looks good for the consumer: lower prices. But with them come lower food quality and less consumer choice. The handful of grocers with control over the production and distribution of food are focused on profit first and foremost. The quality of the food and how it's produced fall to the lowest common denominator.
For better and for worse, Wheatsville is not in this kind of store. We support sustainable production be it organic crops, humane factories, or free-range farm animals. Our profits support these by going directly back to the community. We are a fairly large store for a co-op but we are without doubt a little guy on the grocery block in Austin. We sell every item at the lowest possible markup. If the prices look high, it's because we often buy products for more than the larger chains store sell them. But we're not profiteering, we're building a sustainable future.
Q: I lost my card...
Not to worry, we'll replace it for free. Just drop by the
Hospitality Desk and we'll get you a new one.
Q: What about exchanges and returns?
If you are unhappy with a purchase, please return it to the
co-op. We want to be satisfied!
Q: How do I make a suggestion or
request?
Simply complete a suggestion form available at the
Hospitality Desk. To make a product request, add your
desired product to the "Wish List" at the Hospitality
Desk.
Q: Can I bring my own containers?
The co-op encourages you to re-use your containers.
It saves the co-op money, saves you money (you don't pay for
the weight of the container) and saves landfill space. Ask
any cashier or the Hospitality Clerk to determine the tare
weight of your container before you fill it. They will write
this tare weight on your container and you will not be
charged for the container's weight.
Q: Do you have a place for recycling at the
store?
Wheatsville recycles most of the glass, cardboard, aluminum,
plastic and paper used in the co-op. We have small bins out
front for recyclable glass and aluminum items purchased for
consumption at the co-op. However, we cannot accept your
home recycling. Ecology
Action is Austin's
downtown recycling center. They are located at 9th St and
IH-35 on the southbound access road, and open M-F 10-6, S-S
9-5.
Q: Can I get a discount on volume
purchases?
Wheatsville offers a 5% discount when you buy a whole case.
If you buy any six bottles of wine , you get a 10% discount
on your wine purchase.
Q: How do I give you a change of
address?
If you move, notify us of your change of address so you will
receive the Breeze and co-op mailings. It's easy to update
your address. Fill in a change of address form available at
the Hospitality Desk in the store, or send us a postcard. Or
fill in a change
of address form on this
website.
Q: Is my capital refundable?
Your capital is fully refundable to you within 60 days of
resigning from the co-op. This gives us time to replace your
capital with that of incoming members. To resign from the
co-op, fill out a resignation form, which is available at
the Hospitality Desk, and drop it in the slot. Once you have
received your capital investment back, you no longer enjoy
the privileges of membership. The initial $15 joining fee is
not refundable. You may also choose to donate your capital
to the co-op upon resignation.
Click here
for a printable resignation form.
Q: How can I become more involved?
Most any way you please... one of the best ways to help us is to shop here and encourage your friends to shop at Wheatsville. Your grocery dollars sustain us. In addition, you may:
Vote. Wheatsville is a democratically controlled co-op. Owners take care of their investment by voting for their Board of Directors who can be trusted to oversee that the co-op is run responsibly. Voice your product concerns by submitting and voting in our annual boycott election. Wheatsville also contributes to local non-profit community organizations through our Community Action Wednesday program. The recipients are determined by an annual vote of our owners.
Attend Owner Gatherings. Gather with your friends and fellow co-opers for short informative meetings with an ever-changing variety of activities, such as dinner, potluck, live music, dancing, speakers, films, etc. Look for announcements in the Wheatsville Breeze and posters in the store.
Talk to the Board. The Board wants to hear from you about long-range planning issues! To contact the Wheatsville Board of Directors send a letter to the Board at the co-op, or call the co-op and ask to be contacted by a Board member. To get an item on the Board's agenda, call the General Manager at 478-2667 and ask to be included on the agenda or email Board President - Rose Marie Klee - . Check the Board Agenda posted on this website for the time and place of the next board meeting.
Run for a position on the Board. Elections are held annually starting in October. Contact the Board before August 1st if you'd like to run for a position.
Join the Staff. Work hard in a cool environment. Hundreds of musicians, artists, writers, poets, and countercultural folks have found a congenial workplace at the co-op. We staffers not only work at the co-op, we own it, too!
Q: Want to know more? Learn about:
How
to join Wheatsville
The
history of co-ops and the Rochdale
Pioneers
Wheatsville's
partners
Other
cooperative organizations
http://wheatsville.coop top
©2011 Wheatsville Co-op