I am thrilled to announce that TPSS Co-op now has an online store! I can’t even write those words without being overwhelmed with gratitude to our team and our rockstar local web developers, Ian and Erin from Creative Industry, who have made this possible in just four days.
I now understand why people don’t make public pronouncements that they are turning their business model around inside of a typical work week. It required the support of everyone in our orbit. Staff were willing to work in new roles with on-the-job training and our vendors needed to be flexible with changes in our ordering practices. Most of all, our loyal owners and shoppers needed to be patient and adaptable. Without the staff, team, and community support we have, this would not have been possible.
When you head to our website, you’ll now be able to see our online store under the Shop tab. In this initial roll out, we have included best-selling items from our most essential departments: grocery, frozen, produce, and refrigerated. We will work quickly to add bulk, beer and wine, and wellness items. The online store is a fully functional work in progress, like my screenplay for a “Jurassic Park” prequel. It should meet most immediate needs for food and improvements will be made rapidly. To that end, if your fridge and pantry are still stocked, consider waiting a few days before placing your order.
Orders can be picked up from the large Junction parking lot between 9 am and 7 pm each day starting today, Saturday, March 28. Initially, we anticipate filling orders within 24 hours. You will receive email notifications when you place your order and when your order has been processed and is ready for pick up.
If you encounter issues with the online store, feel free to call the store or drop us a line at orders@tpss.coop. We will have staff dedicated to answering those kinds of questions.
This is an uncertain time for us all and it is hard to find good news when scrolling through our online newspapers and social media accounts. Our staff is excited to get back to what we do: feeding and serving our community. Though I never wanted to make this kind of change, I hope you will join me in celebrating this huge accomplishment.
Mike Houston
General Manager
Want to read more?
Check out this post on our blog, the Co-op Column: Your Neighborly Natural Food Store
And, this piece in the Washington Post: Demand for online ordering leaves grocery stores scrambling, customers waiting