Since 1976: An Interview with Bob from Bulk
by Natalie Criscione
“Bob from Bulk.” Or, just “Bob.” However you might know him, Bob Linn has been a positive, smiling, helpful, and energetic presence in the Bulk Department for decades. As an Honest Weight Floor Manager, or, as he says, “one step up from whatever is below that,” he’s present both behind the scenes and amidst the shoppers.
It is in the Bulk Department, in the northeast corner of the store and adjacent to the Produce Department, where Bob has forged his career and where those who know him best experience his personality, a cross between something reminiscent of MAD Magazine’s column of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions” and the musings of Carlos Castaneda (both favorites of his).
Throughout our interview, his self-deprecating humor revealed itself, beginning with details about his college experience at SUNY Albany where, during his senior year, he says he “did a very independent study on table tennis…I didn’t receive any credit for it, but I got really good at it.” This might be a metaphor for Bob’s time at Honest Weight—his expertise has been built on practice, persistence, learned lessons, and a deep commitment to Honest Weight’s mission. His constant, unassuming presence is a quiet reminder of the co-op’s beginnings. He does not seek recognition or credit.
Bob’s Honest Weight Co-op memories go back to 1976 and Gary Goldberg’s basement, where he remembers “breaking down bags of dried goods for people to pick up.” In the early HW years, after the first store front on Quail Street had opened, Bob’s dreams of securing a management position at the new co-op were twice met with rejection. The first time he didn’t get the job because he was not well known; “I was an outsider,” he said. The second time, Bob recalls, “I didn’t get the job because by then they had gotten to know me.” His persistence paid off however, as he gained experience along the way in both the intricacies of buying and the Saturday supervisory role. Finally, on his third attempt in 1980, when he “was no longer an outsider,” he was hired as a manager. Business must have been good, as he was soon in search of an assistant manager who would be paid a starting salary of $4/hour. The job was described as “important and demanding” in the December 1980 issue of the Coop Scoop.
Like many fledgling operations, the Bulk Department grew through trial and error. Bob and his team found that some bulk items, like raisins and dates, were better bagged ahead of time and others, like salsa, yogurt, cottage cheese, and corn chips, were best left for other departments to handle. “The stale corn chips burned really well in my wood stove,” says Bob with a laugh, “they had a good smell.”
In addition to changes within the Bulk Department, Bob has witnessed various trends come and go within the co-op’s management structure. “When I was part of the collective structure, our meetings would last two hours or more as we all discussed important matters of the day.” Under the majority structure, there was one general manager whose meetings were only fifteen minutes long; “It was great,” says Bob, who enjoyed the shorter format— “He said what he had to say and the meeting was over.” Discussions and meetings, both long and short, were essential however as the co-op evolved. Bob was one of many who was dedicated to its success and was a consistent voice along the way. “I thought we were on this narrow balancing beam,” he recalls of the early years, “and I was afraid that if we just took one step in some weird direction, we would ruin ourselves; as time went on, though, I realized I had been overreacting.”
Although he is not as involved in the governing operations as he once was, Bob is content that the co-op has found its stride. What has remained constant, he says, is that “the very nature of a cooperative is not one dollar one vote, it’s one person one vote. And that still stands.”
Bob values the Member-Owner model, which he says many co-ops have abandoned. He appreciates the resulting community in all its varied forms. Each shift throughout a day or week brings together a unique mix of people, personalities, and strengths that create their own small, family-like communities within the department. “There is the Thursday afternoon crowd or the Wednesday morning crowd…,” says Bob, “and you really get a sense of each small group that gets along and works well together.”
For Bob, the community is vast and includes not only those with whom he works, but also shoppers, distributors, and all who cross his path. It makes for a richness of conversation, diversity, and joy. It makes for a good life.
After nearly 50 years and working so closely with others, it is not surprising that Bob has stories to tell, whether directly related to the Bulk Department or not. He has been called upon many times, for instance, to help customers get into their cars after they’ve locked themselves out. (I’m one of those customers who remains grateful to this day for Bob’s assistance in the Central Avenue parking lot.) “I’m kind of mechanically oriented,” says Bob, “and it’s nice helping people out.” In fact, he has gained a reputation for his expertise, which includes technical language like: “you bend the door significantly and scarily before pushing in a coat hanger or piece of steel.” (Yes, I remember!) His skills have evolved along with the cars, and Bob has picked up tips along the way from watching AAA roadside assistance mechanics.
When there is not an expert outsider on hand to learn from, Bob’s trial and error ingenuity takes over. “Once on Quail street,” he recalls, “we had a big 30 gallon drum of maple syrup that we needed to [draw from to] get into a smaller 5 gallon dispenser. I came up with the siphon approach, got it started, and then started doing something else. Well, you can imagine what might go wrong. Sure enough, I couldn’t believe I was such a space cadet and how long it took before I came back. There was maple syrup all over the floor. ALL OVER! What I learned is that sponges are useless at first. Mops too. At first, when you have a big spill of a thick liquid like syrup or oil, you have to scrape it up before you go to the next step. There it is. A good life lesson.”
Like his college table tennis days, Bob’s persistence, problem solving skills, and positivity have resulted in wisdom that can only be acquired with time and practice. Bob could surely write a book about such stories and life lessons.
Of the thousands of items offered in the Bulk Department, one might wonder if Bob has any personal favorites or highlights worthy of mention. Of course he does! His favorite item is cocoa dusted cashews that are “not too sweet but have a melt-in-your-mouth effect.” Bob’s staples, because he’s a self-described “grain person,” are oats, quinoa, and kasha. And, a new item that deserves mention are the dog treats, which can be found in a little wicker basket on one of the aisle end-caps. “They are just peanuts, oats, and pumpkin,” says Bob. “Really healthy…hey, with a little salt, people would probably eat them, too!”
If you’re interested in learning more about Bob or have questions for him, you can find him many days in the Bulk Department where he helps people out and shares his wisdom.
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