Willy Street - North

A new, lovely space on the north side. I stopped in after a meeting in the same shopping plaza to check things out since it's been years since I've been in any of the Co-ops. I made a loop around the store that started with produce, then into a very small bakery area and the hot bar/deli area, into the cold section and shelves, and finally through the frozen section. There are a lot of organic, natural, and alternative-diet food items and a wider array of veggie products than you'll encounter at a regular grocery store. I had hoped to find graham flour here, but they didn't carry it in either their bulk flours up front, nor in the baking aisle. One thing that stuck out to me is that prices are all over the place. Some things are much cheaper than you'll find them in typical grocery stores, while others are sticker-shock expensive. For example, Field Roast veggie sausages were around $5, while they go for closer to $7 at most other places around Madison. On the flip side, there was a rising crust pizza for I think $6 that I just picked up for $3.50 at another store. One thing I will say is that the vibe of the Co-op is different from any other grocer I've been to, in that it seemed like hangout spot. Lots of people were shopping in pairs with friends and chit-chatting away with each other and the staff. It's definitely got more of a community/small-town corner shop feel in that way. I have a gift card for the Co-op burning a hole in my wallet, so I'll have to pop back through again when I have more time to browse and don't have specific items in mind.

By far the best co-op!!!Always fresh options, new products, bakery and local baked goods are out of this world!What would Madison be without the co-op?!

Willy North is a fantastic addition to the north side. The largest of the Willy Street Coop locations, this store carries more "traditional" grocery items and brands along with the full complement of organic, natural, and local fare that one tends to expect from a food coop. Along with groceries are hot food and salad bars, deli case, a wide selection of bulk foods, ingredients, and spices, and my personal favorite - kombucha on tap! If you're a booch fan, this is the most economical way to buy kombucha at around $10 for a growler fill. If you're curious, bring in a small container and give it a try!I never really thought much about the "shopping experience" at a grocery store, but Willy raises the bar here as well. The employees are enthusiastic and we always have friendly interactions at the coop. They are very interested in hearing what their customers want, and they've been adding many requested items. We asked an employee about a particular beer we were interested in, and the employee brought over the beer buyer for us to talk to. Fast forward a few weeks, and we see the person who we initially asked, and she remembered us and asked if we were able to get what we wanted (we were). This would be a great experience in a specialty retail store, it's amazing to have happen at a grocery!I'm extremely happy with the Coop, but it's going to keep getting better. Rather than wait to open when they'd done all the remodeling they want to do, Willy opened sooner so they could be available in what had been a food desert in this part of town. So, we have more good things (like outdoor seating and juice bar) to look forward to as they continue to develop and grow!

It's hard not to admire the uniqueness of Willy Street Co-op and it's entire business structure, how the employees are left to their own devices to dress how they like and even are provided meditating areas and burning sage. The produce is pricey but not so unreasonable as to avoid it

The Willy Street Co-op on the North Side of Madison started off a bit shaky, but now things seem much better. I've noticed that business has picked up too, and the product selection definitely keeps getting more diverse. I think the Co-op is finally reaching that balance between selection, quality and affordability to fit everyone's needs. It will be amazing when the Double Dollar program returns, which is a really great, helpful option for many Madison residents.It's also really nice to be able to pick up some beer or wine, and not have to make another trip afterwards. That's always been slightly annoying when visiting Willy East. The North location also has a great hot bar, and a lot of gifts and useful household tools/products. Every time I visit this location, I notice something new or useful, and usually end up purchasing it.The North Side Co-op really does have everything I want, and the new outdoor seating is an added bonus. I've also heard that they will be adding a Juice Bar to this location soon! I also need to recognize the staff members at Willy North, as they are always friendly and willing to help you out. This helps create a warm, welcoming environment.In fact, this is now my preferred location, and I skip the overcrowded East location altogether.And the shopping center that includes the Co-op seems to be thriving, which is really great to see for our neighbors on the North Side. And a new Japanese restaurant, Bistro Honda, is now where the coffee shop was next to Benvenuto's Italian Grill!I honestly have no complaints about this location, and highly recommend it.

I really like this place. I find things here that other places don't carry, as a vegetarian. People say that they have little selection, which might be true. They don't have 2000 versions of cereal or soup, but they carry everything from fake meat to potting soil.I use this place as my specialty shop for vegetarian items, but I probably could get all of my shopping done here if I wanted. They have a small emphasis on bulk bin, which I love. Sometimes they have really good deals on organic products. I find their bulk bins are the same price or lower than the same packaged products.I like the location as it is much closer to us than their other location. This location is also smaller and less overwhelming IMO. It is clean and well kept. Everything seems to be stocked well too. I do have to talk about the service here. Everyone seems to genuinely like working here. The cashiers are happy to answer any questions about products or "ownership". I just love that they will take that extra time to answer questions!

Today is a great day for Madison's Northside. I walked in shortly after 7:30 AM on opening day this morning. Shelves were stocked, freezers full and employees were scurrying to fill the bakery and salad and hot bars.The store looks beautiful and a lot more inventory is on the way. I hope this store can spark a much needed renaissance of Madison's long forgotten north side. This store is positive proof of the power of a community coming together with a common goal.THANK YOU, Willy St Co-op, for a job well done!

I love the size of this place! Pretty impressive! The only thing I was not impressed with is the dry turkey and ham @ the salad bar. It was super dry. But after my workout, I needed food and I was not being picky. So I ate it anyway. This place was HUGE!!! It was really nice and clean. I was able to find what I needed with no issues at all. I really enjoyed eating my lunch by the fireplace. That was awesome! They even have toys available to keep the little ones entertained. I like the layout of the store. I didn't get the really friendly greeting like I normally do @ the other locations. I think I prefer Whole Foods salad bar rather than the one here. Hopefully they can get that in order because this is a lot closer to home for me.

YOU GUYS.IT. IS. OPEN!!!Very excited that the Willy St North location has finally opened, offering a much-needed & quality grocery store to the area. The store is set up much the way Pierce's was (produce on the left, dairy in the back, beer/wine on the right) but you'll notice some major differences, of course. I love the full range of products this considerably larger Willy St location is able to offer than the other sites and how out of their way they've gone to make sure they've got products that cater to the neighborhood, given they are the only grocery store option around. I imagine it may have even pained them to initially stock those Pop Tarts on the shelf next to all the tasty, organic, natural items they normally procure, but it is a noticed & nice gesture. Also, they've got a lot more room so they are actively soliciting ideas of what to stock, feel free to notify them of stuff you're craving! The hot bar, salad bar and prepared foods section are all well-stocked and there is an indoor seating area just ready for your lunch break. August 15th was the "soft-opening" so areas of the store are still getting stocked and the outdoor seating area out front (YEAH, YOU HEARD RIGHT!) is still being constructed. Keep stopping back over the next few weeks/months, I'm sure you'll see lots more changes. Stop in if you're in the area or if you're tired of battling the traffic & parking at the Willy St. location... plenty of parking & space here!

This Willy Street Co-op is leaps and bounds over the other two. If finding a parking space at the other two is an enormous hassle, you will be able to have your pick in the HUGE parking lot that North shares with the other retailers as well as the library (yes, drop off your books and shop at Willy Street. Such convenience, there is a hardware store, dollar store and barber shop. During the summer on Saturday, you have the Farmer's Marketing taking up part of the parking lot.) Along with the large parking lot is a larger than average Co-op. I found the prices to be on stock up items to be pretty good and the the typical Co-op items comparable.The only thing that caused me not to give a unalloyed stellar review is that their hot breakfast is definitely lacking. Yes, the oatmeal is some of the best oatmeal found in Madison. My 80 year old something Dad always gets it because it reminds him of the homemade oatmeal his mother used to make in the 1940's. But the tired breakfast bar and the quickly disappearing breakfast sandwiches are a disappointment. I realize they may not get the kind of traffic like they do on Willy or University so they plan accordingly. Maybe more people will be willing to make the trek to the north side if the hot bars were a little better, just saying.