Organic grocers?

I'm looking for organic grocers, preferably on the north side but I'm willing to drive a bit if need be. This is a new venture for me and I just don't know of too many organic grocers; to my immense surprise, there does not appear to be a dedicated LTH thread on the subject (or at least one that I could find) although there are certainly threads including discussions of organic markets and lots of miscellaneous posts. Lest there be any confusion, I prefer mom-and-pop-type places, not chains or megamarts and grocers, not markets (a la Green City) or vegetable/fruit stands.

The two I am aware of are Green Grocer on W. Grand and Newleaf on Loyola. I've also turned up a couple that I know nothing whatsoever about: Julie's Organic Groceries (on Whipple just south of Montrose) and La Primera (Clark just south of Foster). Can anyone supplement my list? I'm focusing on organic, not sustainable, though I certainly have no objection to a place that's both. Thanks.

(And please, I know the arguments pro and con about the "value" or "worth" of organic. I really don't want to have that discussion; I'm just looking for some stores.)

There is True Nature Foods on Broadway near Norwood. They are/were a drop off for Country Cottage Farms eggs and poultry, which I used to get. It's a nice little store.

True Nature Foods
6034 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60660-2522
(773) 465-6400
http://www.truenaturefoods.com/

Gypsy Boy wrote: Julie's Organic Groceries (on Whipple just south of Montrose)...

This is a 4 minute walk from home for me, and I never go there. No meat or produce (unless you count bad presliced deli meat) - just a bunch of packaged goods nearing their expiration date and some stale pastries.

Are you actually looking for groceries that are all-organic, or just places where you can buy lots of Organic stuff? If the latter, as you probably know the answer is everywhere.

Kennyz wrote:Are you actually looking for groceries that are all-organic, or just places where you can buy lots of Organic stuff? If the latter, as you probably know the answer is everywhere.

Sorry to hear about Julie's since that's close to me as well (albeit not as close as for you). And, as you suspect, all-organic groceries (i.e., the former) is the theme of this scavenger hunt.

Gypsy Boy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Are you actually looking for groceries that are all-organic, or just places where you can buy lots of Organic stuff? If the latter, as you probably know the answer is everywhere.

Sorry to hear about Julie's since that's close to me as well (albeit not as close as for you). And, as you suspect, all-organic groceries (i.e., the former) is the theme of this scavenger hunt.

gotcha - then I don't think New Leaf or Green Grocer qualify either, actually. I doubt there are any places at all, which is why I suspect there hasn't been discussion of the matter here.

Kennyz wrote:

Gypsy Boy wrote:

Kennyz wrote:Are you actually looking for groceries that are all-organic, or just places where you can buy lots of Organic stuff? If the latter, as you probably know the answer is everywhere.

Sorry to hear about Julie's since that's close to me as well (albeit not as close as for you). And, as you suspect, all-organic groceries (i.e., the former) is the theme of this scavenger hunt.

gotcha - then I don't think New Leaf or Green Grocer qualify either, actually. I doubt there are any places at all, which is why I suspect there hasn't been discussion of the matter here.

Since I've never visited either, I'm at a bit of a disadvantage in this discussion, but hey, I'll bite: is the reason they don't qualify--in your estimation--because they don't hit the 100% mark (meaning they sell something or things that don't qualify)? Are they at 95% or so, 75% or am I on the wrong track here?

I've been to both places (Green Grocer a lot), yet I'm still no help on the percentages. I'm just pretty sure they carry both organic and non-organic stuff. Of course, these are words that might mean different things to different people, so I should clarify by saying that much of Cassie's "non-organic" stuff is actually stuff that she believes has been produced using organic methods, but does not have whatever organic certification the law might require.

The Dill Pickle Co-Op will have some things that are organic. I don't think there's any place that is organic.

I agree with Kenny on this one.

Dill Pickle Co-op
3039 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60647
(773) 252-2667