The Goose Community Grocer

Owned by Goosefoot, profits from the Goose go directly to supporting our local community.

The Goose Community Grocer is owned by Goosefoot. Profits from the store are invested back into the community in a number of different ways.

  • Between 2017 and 2019, we donated more than $1 million to 35 local non-profit organizations through a formalized community grant program.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, we restructured our grant program to support organizations dealing with food insecurity and access issues in our community.
  • Goosefoot has provided annual grants to our three supported organizations (South Whidbey @ Home, Whidbey Island Nourishes, and Whidbey Watershed Stewards) since 2017.
  • We provided start-up funding and staffing for Island Roots Housing in response to the affordable housing crisis on Whidbey.
  • Since 2021, we partnered with Whidbey Community Foundation and the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center to raise funds for the Essential Needs program, which helps to cover the basic needs of our Whidbey Island neighbors that aren’t covered by other grant funding.
  • Since August 2020, we’ve established a Round Up program at the Goose to raise funds for local nonprofits.

Goosefoot never meant to own a grocery store when it purchased a large portion of the Bayview Center shopping plaza in 2005. But when the Red Apple grocer declined to renew its lease in 2008—also the year of the Great Recession—we had no choice but to take over ownership. The alternative was an empty 21,000 sq. ft. space in the middle of an already suffering retail location.

Tyler Myers, President, Myers Group, and Christine Hurley, former Executive Director, Goosefoot, reviewing store renovation plans in 2008.

Fortunately, we partnered with The Myers Group (MG), who were brought in to oversee the renovation and day-to-day management of the Goose. MG, headquartered locally in Clinton, manages many grocery stores in the Pacific Northwest. The space was completely gutted and cleaned. To save as much money as possible during difficult times, used equipment was purchased and the cement under the old flooring was buffed up and coated. (Many customers were quite pleased when new flooring was finally installed in 2015!)

In September 2009, the new Goose Community Grocer opened to much fanfare. However, it did take 5 years for the Goose to find financial stability and, eventually, enough profit for Goosefoot to begin giving back to the very community that shops there. Improvements are made regularly to enhance the shopping experience and to ensure a steadily growing customer base.

Entrants in the 2019 annual apple pie contest. A record number of 17 pies submitted kept our judges busy and very full by the end.

We appreciate our Goose customers and take pride in being a true community grocery store! Our annual Easter egg hunt and apple pie contest are great fun. You may encounter a local producer sample table or wine tasting while shopping. And every two years, we throw a huge customer appreciation party, featuring free food, live music, games, and contests. Thanks for shopping the Goose!

Visit the Goose Grocer website.