Rainbow Grocery to celebrate 50 years as a worker‑owned staple
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Rainbow's exterior is painted in green. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
Rainbow Grocery Cooperative in SoMa is marking its 50th anniversary this weekend after first opening its doors in 1975.
Why it matters: In a neighborhood marked by constant change and the overwhelming presence of big-box chains, Rainbow has stayed true to its roots, rejecting corporate norms in favor of worker ownership and community-based values.
State of play: The store is hosting a block party this Sunday celebrating the milestone with festivities that include live music, food, games, art stations for kids, more than 25 vendor booths and giveaways.
"Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years" Gordon Edgar, a 31-year employee who runs the cheese counter, told Axios.
Catch up quick: Rainbow Grocery was born out of a 1970s grassroots natural food movement calling for access to nutritious and organic food.
- The store started as a volunteer-run program before becoming an independent worker-owned cooperative.
- Rainbow bought its current location in SoMa in 1996, a move that's helped it dodge soaring rents and stay independent, Edgar said.
How it works: As a co-op, Rainbow's model operates outside of traditional hierarchies — employees co-own the store and vote equally on decisions.
Between the lines: The store sells a wide selection of homeopathic bath, home and beauty products, herbal medicines, organic produce, specialty vegan and gluten-free options and goods from environmentally conscious brands.
- There's also an artisanal cheese counter and several aisles with kids toys, cookbooks and apparel from popular indie brands.
- One standout feature that's come to define its appeal stems back to its roots as a bulk food buying program. Shoppers can buy various cereals, nuts, grains, legumes, teas and other dried goods in bulk, avoiding plastic packaging.
The intrigue: Even through waves of change, Rainbow's bond with its community has stayed strong.
- Despite weathering rising competition, pandemic-era buying shifts and customer turnover driven by displacement, Edgar said it's been rewarding seeing decades of familiar faces return and watching families grow up in the store.
- "That's just a really special thing," he added.
My thought bubble: Rainbow is a grocery store-lover's dream. It also has one of the best cheese selections I've come across in the city. It's what Whole Foods was before it became the corporate-owned Whole Foods we know today, except on steroids with an even wider array of curated and specialty brands.
If you go: Open daily 9am-9pm at 1745 Folsom St.
- Rainbow's block party is Sunday, August 17 from noon-6pm on Trainor Street (between 13th and 14th).