The SF grocery coop brings live concerts to the produce aisle
Sep 13, 2026
(KRON) -- A concert nestled in the produce aisle. Musicians strum guitars while a lead singer croons into the mic, placed next to organic fruits and vegetables. That's the new scene at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative in San Francisco.
The worker-owned natural foods store just launched its new online co
ncert series, 'Under the Rainbow.' The talent showcase is meant to exhibit the Bay Area's diverse music scene.
"We're trying to give a platform to any kind of musician," said Aldo de la Cruz-Falcon, who's part of the Rainbow Board of Directors and PR team. "We're here for the community."
"Under the Rainbow" was inspired by a Latino grocery store in Delaware that started showcasing NPR Tiny Desk-style performances earlier this year.
The inaugural episode of "Under the Rainbow" was posted on YouTube on Sep. 2, with Power pop trio, Now, taking the stage in the grocery aisle. De La Cruz-Falcon told us that since then, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
"It's been just beautiful how the community has been reaching out to us. A lot of musicians have been using us to give them a platform," he said.
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While the concert series is new, Rainbow Grocery has historic roots in the city. The collective began back in 1975, when grassroots organizers opened up a storefront on 16th Street in the Mission District. For decades, their goal has been to make food accessible to the public, in collaboration with local vendors.
The co-op has since moved to Folsom Street, where it celebrated 50 years last August.
Rainbow Grocery plans to air episodes on its social media channels every other week. De La Cruz-Falcon said it's just the beginning of the talent they're looking to showcase.
"This is giving us more encouragement to do more for the community," De La Cruz-Falcon said. "Another thing we want to bring to the community in hard times is a little bit of joy. When you're scrolling through your cellphone, you see a lot of bad news. I hope that 'Under the Rainbow' brings a little bit of joy to you."
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