Sequim farm store hosts grand reopening

Weeklong celebration offers in-store specials, outdoor fun

Co-op Farm & Garden store managers know how to throw a party.

Members, passersby and out-of-towners helped celebrate the business’s grand reopening over the weekend, enjoying a petting zoo, face painting and live entertainment during Farm Day Saturday, April 12, and Kid’s Day Sunday, April 13.

The celebration continued Monday with Ladies Day, awarding the first 50 women of the day a free plant, and Tuesday with No Tax Day.

Three days of fun remain.

Wednesday is Men’s Day. The first 50 male customers get a free pair of gloves.

Thursday is Garden Day. The first 50 customers get a free bag of potting soil.

Friday is Senior Day. All senior citizens get a 10-percent discount.

Events run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Free snacks, beverages and cash prize drawings are available.

Additional parking is available at the Shell fuel station and the former Riptide Restaurant parking lot.

The Co-op Farm & Garden store, which changed its name from the Clallam Co-op in March, is celebrating its “softer, country store atmosphere” and shifted focus from warehouse to retail.

“Ultimately, with the big boxes coming to town and after a couple of years battling them, we assessed our business, did some market research and planning and decided to enhance our image as a ‘lifestyle country store,’ or what used to be known as a ‘farm store,’” explained Bill Gerdes, general manager, during a previous Sequim Gazette interview. “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from our customers so far and even have new members.”

Established in 1936 to help Olympic Peninsula agricultural producers survive and thrive during the Great Depression, the co-op store has undergone remodeling numerous times to keep pace with changing community needs.

The member-owned store is open to the public. Customers don’t have to be members to shop at the store but there are some advantages, including discounts, cash and credit accounts with monthly payments and the ability to vote during the annual January meeting.

There are no membership fees or annual dues. Members simply have to shop at the store and take part in making decisions, expressing opinions and giving suggestions.

Regular business hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 683-4111 or stop by the store, 216 E. Washington St.