About this location
A few stories people tell about this place
1. Late one night, as a delivery driver unloaded groceries into the Durham Co-op Market, he swore he heard someone whispering from the empty aisles. Curious but cautious, he peered around corners only to catch fleeting shadows darting between shelves. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the driver found himself in the dairy section, where an old lady was gently rearranging cartons of milk. She smiled and whispered, ‘Just helping out, dear.’ The driver sighed, realizing it was probably just a friendly neighborhood ghost who liked fresh milk. From then on, whenever anyone asked if there were strange occurrences at the market, everyone would wink and say, “Oh yes, she’s still there—our little cooperative ghost.”
2. Late one night, as a delivery driver unloaded groceries into the Durham Co-op Market, he heard an odd humming sound coming from the produce section. Curious, he peered inside and found nothing out of place—just rows of quietly glowing bananas. Suddenly, a banana skin slipped off one of the glowing fruits and landed on his foot. Startled, he jumped back, only to knock over a crate of oranges. A moment later, a regular customer walked in and asked if everything was okay. ‘Just some talking bananas,’ replied the befuddled driver, trying not to laugh. The customer nodded knowingly and said, “They’re always chatty when they get too ripe.”
3. Late one night, as a delivery driver unloaded groceries into the Durham Co-op Market, he noticed something odd in an empty shopping cart: a small, handwritten sign that read ‘Free Bananas.’ Curious, the driver took the sign and placed it back in the cart. Over the next few days, more signs appeared—‘Free Apples,’ ‘Free Bread.’ Soon enough, customers started leaving notes of their own: ‘Thanks for the bananas, see you tomorrow!’ And so began the market’s secret tradition—a nightly exchange of free groceries among strangers. To this day, if you visit late at night, you might just find yourself a surprise gift from a friendly neighbor.
4. Late one night, as a delivery driver unloaded groceries into the Durham Co-op Market, he noticed something peculiar in an empty produce bin—a tiny note that read: ‘Take what you need, leave what you can.’ Curious, the driver took a banana and left a chocolate bar. Over time, more notes appeared—‘Apples for teachers, oranges for kids’; ‘Tomatoes for seniors, grapes for students.’ Soon enough, the whole town was talking about the mysterious market. One evening, a neighbor joked, ‘I wonder if they’ll give me extra cheese for leaving my smile?’ And so, the Durham Co-op Market became known not just for its groceries but for its unexpected acts of kindness.