Last updated on October 18th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Weaver Street Market, the Triangle co-op founded in Carrboro 30 years ago, opened its new store at The Dillon in the Warehouse District of Downtown Raleigh on Sept. 21. The first grocery store in downtown Raleigh, it’s located on West Hargett Street between S. West and S. Harrington streets.
Known for its wide selection of fresh produce and locally sourced products, Weaver Street Market also offers an array of freshly prepared restaurant-style foods. The Raleigh store features multiple dining options, including an artisan sandwich bar, fresh hearth-baked pizza, a sushi bar, an Asian noodle bar, a breakfast bar, hot bar and salad bar, as well as bakery goods made fresh daily and a variety of offerings from local and independent food producers. Diners can consume their meals and snacks on the mezzanine that wraps around three sides of the store, on an outdoor balcony overlooking W. Hargett Street or on the sidewalk.
“Being able to fill a gap in our downtown with a grocery store that is such a trusted and well-known, locally owned company in this region is really exciting for downtown. Weaver Street Market’s commitment to locally sourced food, community, downtowns and a great experience for customers make them a great fit in Raleigh, and we are thrilled to have them open here,” says Bill King, president and CEO of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance.
“We are thrilled to be part of the Downtown Raleigh community,” says Micki McCarthy, manager of the Raleigh store. “We look forward to welcoming our neighbors in the Warehouse District and establishing Weaver Street Market as a gathering place where the community can come together to enjoy fresh, healthy foods.”
The store employs 75 people. As a co-op, Weaver Street Market is owned by its shoppers and employees. It currently has more than 22,000 consumer owners and 230 worker owners (but non-owners also may shop at the market). Owner shares can be purchased in the store or online for $75; free community shares are available to qualifying SNAP recipients. Owners receive weekly coupons, invitations to owner events, discounted tickets to select Weaver Street Market events and eligibility to join Coastal Credit Union.
Weaver Street Market is open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Customers will receive one hour of validated parking (with a minimum $10 purchase) at The Dillon parking garage, accessible through an entrance on S. West Street.
Weaver Street Market celebrated its opening by providing free baguettes to the first 100 shoppers, free Raleigh T-shirts to the first 500 individuals who buy an owner share at the store and a free Weaver Street Market signature purple reusable bag to all customers who round up their purchases for charity. Local producers will be sampling products in the store throughout the opening week.
Beginning in October, Weaver Street Market will host free hands-on cooking classes and demonstrations from guest chefs, as well as cooking classes for children. Upcoming classes include Homemade Pasta and Wine Pairing; Spooky Treats and Squash Carving (for kids); Gingerbread House Creations (for kids) and Holiday Appetizers.
Weaver Street Market will continue its history of giving back to the local community. It has selected A Place at the Table as its first community partner in Raleigh. Donations from customers who “round up” their purchases will be used to provide meal tokens at A Place at the Table for those who cannot afford to pay for a fresh, healthy meal. Weaver Street Market has committed to provide 12,500 free meal tokens to Raleigh’s first “pay-what-you-can” café.
Customers won’t find any single-use paper or plastic checkout bags at Weaver Street Market. Earlier this year, the co-op became the first grocer in North Carolina to eliminate all single-use checkout bags. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bag, purchase a signature bag from Weaver Street Market (99 cents) or buy a “bring it back sack” (15 cents) made from recycled plastic sturdy enough to be reused up to 125 times. Through this initiative, Weaver Street Market is eliminating the use of more than one million single-use bags each year.
