Madison Favorite, Willy Street Co-op now open in Middleton Wisconsin

 "I can't find Willy Street on the map of Madison Wisconsin."

"Oh yeah.  That's because it is a street with a nickname.  The street is Williamson Street, but everyone calls it Willy Street."

And nearly everyone, unless they live down a rabbit hole,  knows Willy Street Co-op.

Anya Firszt, General Manager, Willy Street Co-op, just won an Isthmus Indie award for "Fresh Food Friend". Nominees The nominees criteria for this category had to be an independent business who " nourish a commitment to support and deliver local, sustainable food resources, through restaurant or retail channels."  He is the third person from the left in the image above.

About 10 days after Anya received the award, Willy West opened in Middleton in the Parkwood Plaza shopping center at the corner of University Avenue and Park Street in Middleton.  The new store  will be approximately 9,500 square feet and will have many of the same organic foods and natural products as the store at St..

It is hard to explain how beloved Willy Street Co-op is and how excited Middleton was to have landed the new location.

 There were a few false starts on the Westside before this location was finally decided upon.

Madison is pretty darn passionate about local, independent and ethnic specialties and a movement to take back American kitchens from fast-food carryout attitude as evidenced in annual poll results. We vote yearly on our favorite EVERYTHING around these parts. The Isthmus conducts annual Madison favorites poll and for the category Home Cooking here is how the Co-op fared:

Madison's Favorite Grocery Store
1. Willy Street Co-op
Madison's Favorite Deli Counter
1. Willy Street Co-op
Madison's  Favorite Natural Food Store
1. Willy Street Co-op

Both stores have similar layouts, deli, fresh (of course!) produce, health and beauty products, a place to sit and have coffee and to-go items, same color scheme including eggplant purple.  A small beer and wine section and a meat counter are some differences at Willy West. I think we are more carnivorous on the West side.

In the Isthmus article of late announcing the grand opening, the reporter wrote: 

"As I walk in through the front doors of the new Willy Street Co-op-West, the first thing that hits me is that it smells just like the co-op on Willy Street. It's not quite the scent of patchouli or anything that obvious. Dr. Bronner's soap with an undercurrent of cantaloupe and bulk lentils and celery root, maybe, a sweet, earnest muskiness."

The deli, which Estis has dubbed "the theater of the deli," is larger and more open, with islands for a hot bar and a cold bar; a station where customers can have deli items from stir-fries to quesadillas to sandwiches grilled to order; rotisserie chickens sourced through Local Dirt; a staffed bakery counter; an expanded cheese area that will also feature chocolate and champagne and other items to facilitate pairings; and an island for grab-'n'-go sandwiches, dips and salads. Beer and wine sales are also new. "There will be more cross-merchandising, more fun ideas for fun shopping," says Estis.

The store was designed with the help of P.J. Hoffman, one of the few designers in the country that specializes in co-ops. A community room with a fully furnished kitchen (formerly a demo at Dream Kitchens) and outdoor patio seating complete the amenities."

Speaking of Dr. Bronners, this one product, to me, sums up the nature of Willy Street Co-op.  It is certified Fair Trade and this is how  their advertising copy reads:

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap Lavender has a relaxing fragrance for tired and stressed-out souls, lavender calms and soothes the body. Perfect just before bedtime or to start your day out with a tranquil peace of mind. All oils and essential oils are certified organic to the National Organic Standards Program. Packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

Obviously the fresh organic fruits and veggies are the most imortant element-it is a Natural Foods grocery, but a product like this speaks to the what Willy Street Co-op is ll about.

On this Thanksgiving eve, boy is the parking lot packed!

Madison Favorite, Willy Street Co-op now open in Middleton Wisconsin