By Nastacia Voisin |
A convenience store of a different stripe opened its doors to the North Portland community on Oct. 8.
Named after an eye-catching tomato cultivar, Green Zebra Grocery is the brainchild of former New Seasons CEO Lisa Sedlar, who plans to redefine the convenience store with the Green Zebra. At only 5,600 square feet, the store stocks regionally-sourced produce, healthy snacks, a salad bar, deli counter and house-made grab-and-go meals.
Sedlar believes the store will flourish like its namesake – green zebra tomatoes – which are small, flavorful and grow well in the Northwest. Her goal is to insure the store balances convenience with quality - a business model that depends on a responsive community, according to Sedlar.
“Whatever the community needs – but we like to say we only have room for the good stuff,” Sedlar said.
Built on the bones of a 1950s-era Safeway, Green Zebra seeks to be sustainable from the inside-out, and boasts upcycled wood, brick and restaurant equipment. The Kenton store also has bioswales, skylights and offers on-site bike parking.
Hoping to meet community needs, Green Zebra is dedicated to providing local, sustainably-produced foods for “eaters” – a term Sedlar prefers over “consumers.”
“When you consume something it’s pretty mindless, but when you’re eating it’s more thoughtful,” she said.
Yet along with kale chips, gluten-free crackers and kombucha on tap, Green Zebra stocks an array of brand-name soft drinks.
“Some people are not food purist, and I’m not the food police,” said Sedlar, adding that she drew the line at cigarettes and lottery tickets.
The majority of criticism has been directed so far at pricing, not food selection, according to co-founder and marketing director Shannon Hiller-Webb.
“We’re not trying to be the cheapest store in town because we’re interested in paying a living wage to farmers,” Hiller-Webb said. At the same time, she projected prices dropping, balancing and evening out in the next few weeks.
Hiller-Webb hopes the prices will not deter UP students who are burned out from Bon Appetit’s selection, although she doesn’t see Green Zebra as competition.
“We’re appealing to anyone that’s looking for food options outside the (Bauccio) Commons,” Hiller-Webb said.
UP junior Hanna Bauer, who visited Green Zebra with the Food Justice Immersion, thinks the store is an excellent alternative even if the cost is high. If students can justify spending money on new clothing and movie tickets, Bauer said, then they can also use that money to invest in their health.
“To me, it’s worth the price,” Bauer said.
To help ease the cost, the grocery offers an in-store savings account – Zebra Cash. An initial purchase over $25 earns $5 toward the account, and $1 for every $100 spent thereafter. When UP students sign up for Zebra Cash with a Pilot Experience Card (available for free to all UP students through the Alumni Relations office) they’re credited $10 off a purchase of $40 or more.
A healthy access discount of seven percent is also available to whose use food stamps. Green Zebra also plans to match customer donations to community nonprofits and donate food to Roosevelt High School’s food pantry.
“One of our values is being in service to one another, and responding to what the community needs,” said Sedlar.
That means cultivating strong neighborhood ties, including trying to hire directly from the neighborhood. As of now, 33 percent of the grocery’s staff are locals.
According to Hiller-Webb, Green Zebra hopes to maintain complementary relationships with local stores, including Village Market and New Seasons.
“We’re not trying to take business away from anyone doing the good work,” Hiller-Webb said.
