New Pioneer Co-op

January 9, 2008
Walkable from John’s Grocery, so it was worth a visit. This wasn’t on Ratebeer a few years back when I visited Iowa City a couple of times, in fact I don’t believe it existed a few years back. It’s a decent selection but it doesn’t come anywhere near John’s Grocery. To be honest I was a little underwhelmed, I guess I was expecting something to compete with John’s or offer something they don’t, but it was a standard craft beer selection with a few Belgians, a few bombers and only a few singles. I don’t think I’ll be returning, as this place is probably a good spot for locals but for the traveler it doesn’t come close to John’s.

December 3, 2006
I’ve only been to the one in Coralville. It has a good singles shelf that you might not want to miss. Although, Dirty Johns is the place to visit first.

March 15, 2006
Couldn’t mix and match any sixer’s. Selection was few and far between. Only had maybe 25-30 different kinds of beer and nothing exotic. Wouldn’t waste any time going here with John’s right around the corner.

December 7, 2005
An Iowa City institution. You pay a one-time lump sum for membership and get a discount. Your membership fee is returned if you decide to end your membership. If you shop enough you even get a dividend back. Good place to buy wine, beer, cheese, seafood, tea, organic produce, and bread. Holy crap the bakery is good. Everything is more expensive than your run of the mill grocery store, but most of the stuff you can’t find elsewhere in Iowa City. The beer selection is good for Iowa City, second only to John’s Grocery.

December 1, 2004
Well since this was added, I will rate it. I like these stores for their selection of cheeses and organic produce and meat. The beer selection leaves something to be desired. Copying Gmku, it is decent for the typical local mcros and a few British and German beers. I have only found a couple things that John’s did not sell. Skip this place and go to John’s for beer. If you want wine, cheese or other organic food come here. And yes, I do have a membership.

June 7, 2004 [ Updated July 21, 2004 ]
Rather pricey health food store with roots in Iowa City’s hippie 1960s. Beer selection is pretty good, with domestics and imports, although range is not extensive as John’s Grocery, and you’d be hard pressed to find many Belgians. The usual good German and English imports are here, though, along with the domestics commonly found in this part of the country, including Capital, Rogue, Millstream, and Three Floyds, among others. Sometimes the beer prices beat John’s, especially when there’s a sale. And sometimes the store carries a few things John’s doesn’t get. Worth keeping an eye on from time to time. Seldom sells beer glassware. And you won’t find too many beer geeks among the staff who run the beer/wine section. Mostly the place caters to wine snobs. There are some supposed beer section managers but you gotta wonder when they recommend Cave Creek Chili in their newsletter as one of their Beers of Summer!