Calendar » January 2026

Join us as we dive into Grocery: The Buying and Selling of Food in America by Michael Ruhlman, a fascinating look at the history, culture, and business of the modern supermarket. Through behind-the-scenes insights and personal stories, Ruhlman reveals how grocery stores shape what we eat, how we live, and even how we see ourselves as consumers. This book invites us to think differently about our shopping carts, our communities, and the food systems that sustain us- sparking conversation that touches both everyday life and big-picture questions about food in America.

Book Club participants will explore: 

• The history of supermarkets– how grocery stores evolved from small shops to today’s massive food retailers.
• Behind-the-scenes operations– the logistics of buying, stocking, and selling food, and how stores decide what ends up on the shelves.
• Food culture in America– what our shopping carts reveal about our values, habits, and shifting attitudes toward food.
• The business side of groceries– the economics of the industry, from profit margins to competition with big-box stores and online delivery.
• Personal connections to food– through Ruhlman’s own family stories, readers consider how grocery stores shape daily life and traditions.

Event dates: Jan. 13, and 27 and Feb. 10 and 24 at 6:00 p.m. 

All meetings will be held on Zoom and last 60-90 minutes.

Register by emailing Bona Heinsohn at [email protected]. Register before Jan. 2.