After several years of grassroots development and planning, the board of the Urban Greens Co-op Market is thrilled to announce the opening of Providence’s only member-owned co-op grocery store. Urban Greens is open to all shoppers, whether they are members or not.
The grand opening celebration will feature free food samples from local vendors, live music, goodie bags, and dozens of special sales throughout the store. Urban Greens’ mission is to be open to all and support the health and well-being of
our customers by offering nutritious, affordable food that is sustainably sourced, culturally inclusive, and supportive of local food production. All are welcome to stop in and experience their locally-owned, beautiful new grocery store.
“We never would have gotten here without the support of a lot of people who believed in this project,” said board member Philip Trevvett. “The opening of Urban Greens increases our access to healthy and local foods, and we want to acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to expand that access. We are committed to continuing to grow access to healthy and local foods over time, both through programming within the store, and through community outreach, education and relationship- building outside of our brick and mortar building.”
Urban Greens is a full-service grocery store stocked with fresh organic produce, delicious prepared foods available to go,
and a significant selection of bulk items — such as granola, spices, and flour — that can be purchased at low prices with minimal packaging. In addition, the co-op strives to meet the needs of the diverse communities in Providence, so shoppers will find a mix of cooking oils, produce, and grains common to West African, South East Asian, and Latino diets, among others. Shoppers will also enjoy Urban Greens Basics, a budget line of 100 staple items throughout the store.
A 356-square-foot community room will feature free and paid events, such as community cooking classes, workshops and more. Urban Greens currently has more than 1,300 members. Membership costs between $10 and $160 per year, making it truly accessible to all. Qualified low-income members qualify for a 5% discount on all items.
The $2.2 million project is expected to generate 28 part-time and full-time jobs. The project received an investment from the Rhode Island Foundation, a Rebuild Rhode Island Tax Credit, a loan from RI Commerce, and a loan from The Cooperative Fund of New England. The project also received grants from the Rhode Island Foundation, LASA in conjunction with the RI Department of Environmental Management, and the Henry P. Kendall Foundation. All told, more than a third of the financing came from families and individuals, an indication of the community’s support for this new grocery store.
