Skagit Valley Food Co-op's Ongoing Response to COVID-19
It is often the case, in difficult times, that grocery stores are a vital resource to the communities they serve. The development of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has proven that this continues to be true. You have come to us throughout the pandemic to stock your pantry, replenish cleaning supplies, and prepare alongside others in the community. As a grocery store, our Co-op is in the unique position of offering essential services for our communities while also doing all we can to minimize risk to our staff, members, and shoppers.
What our Co-op is doing to best serve you, care for our staff, and be a responsible member of our community:
Our current hours of operation: 7am-9pm daily.
Masks are required for all employees and shoppers, with the exception of children 5 and under.
Our Co-op prides itself on its cleanliness and food safety standards, and has full-time health and safety, and food safety managers on staff. With their support, and following guidance from the CDC and other agencies, we have implemented even more rigorous cleaning practices throughout all of our stores. This includes frequently sanitizing high-touch locations like credit card machines, scales, bathroom areas, carts, and hand baskets.
Surfaces are wiped down and sanitized multiple times throughout the day.
We've closed down some self-serve food areas: the Deli hot bar, salad bar, and olive bar.
The Bulk Food Department is open, and you are now allowed to bring your own containers.
As a grocer, our staff is well-trained on food safety. All of our in-house fresh food departments follow very specific food safety protocols.
We are no longer sampling foods like soup and ice cream.
Personal cups at our espresso bars are allowed.
Any staff handling ready-to-eat foods are already required to wear gloves or use tongs.
We are working closely with our suppliers to ensure we have the essentials that you are seeking, like pantry staples, cleaning supplies, and health and body care items.
We have suspended use of our workshop and meeting space on our 3rd floor.
C-SQUARE is closed to the public, and Third Street Cafe is closed permanently.
We launched our Co-op Curbside online ordering and curbside pick-up service, so anyone can get groceries and avoid coming into the store altogether. You can learn more about Co-op Curbside at yzcs101.com
New credit card readers at check-out that allow for touchless payment.
Throughout all of this, we are making additional efforts to demonstrate our gratitude to our staff who continue to work each day with commitment, compassion, and kindness to ensure our stores are stocked, clean, and ready to serve you.
We anticipate that guidance from federal, state, and local agencies may change rapidly over the coming days and weeks. We will continue to monitor closely and be nimble in adjusting our operations to prioritize the health and safety of you and our staff.
What We Are Asking Our Community To Do:
Stay home if you are sick.
Practice good hygiene and handwashing practices.
Please wear a mask or cloth face covering while shopping.