Owned by Neighbors Since 1974: Why coops matter
Every October, co-ops across the country celebrate Co-op Month. It’s a chance to recognize and raise awareness of a business model that’s community-driven, democratically governed, and deeply rooted in local ownership. Here in Minnesota, co-ops have been helping communities thrive for more than 50 years.
Our story began in 1974, when a group of Whittier neighbors gathered in a backyard and decided they wanted access to affordable, organic, whole foods without a long drive or bus ride. They opened a small store in a garden-level apartment at 715 Franklin Avenue, with buckets of produce spilling onto the sidewalk. Across town, Linden Hills Co-op opened in 1976 with $387 in the bank and a dedicated crew of volunteers.
In 2017, the two co-ops joined forces. Today, we’re one co-op with two stores and one mission: building community by developing a strong local food system.
The Seven Principles We Run On
Co-ops around the world share seven principles established by the International Cooperative Alliance. They’re more than ideals. They help guide the decisions we make every day.
- Voluntary and open membership. Anyone can become an owner, and everyone is welcome to shop.
- Democratic member control. Owners elect the Board of Directors that helps guide the co-op’s future.
- Member economic participation. Owners invest in the co-op, and any surplus is reinvested in the business or returned to owners.
- Autonomy and independence. We answer to our owners, not outside investors. That independence helps us offer programs like our needs-based discount.
- Education, training, and information. We share what we know about food, farming, and cooperation through our stores, events, and articles like this one.
- Cooperation among cooperatives. Through Co-op Partners Warehouse, we support other co-ops, natural food stores, and restaurants across the Upper Midwest.
- Concern for community. Programs like Change Matters and the Co-op Affordability Project help us invest directly in our neighbors.
How Your Grocery Dollars Stay in the Community
Unlike traditional corporations, we don’t have distant shareholders to satisfy. The money we earn is invested back into our stores, our staff, our owners, and our communities.
The impact is measurable. A national study commissioned by National Co+op Grocers found that every $1,000 spent at a food co-op generates $1,604 in local economic activity.
What investing in a local food economy looks like
- Supporting local farmers and makers. The same study found that the average food co-op works with 157 local farmers and producers, compared with 65 at a conventional grocer. At Wedge, our stores and Co-op Partners Warehouse help connect local growers with shoppers throughout the region.
- Creating local jobs. In fiscal year 2025, we paid $16.7 million in wages and benefits to the people who keep our stores and warehouse running.
- Supporting community organizations. Through Change Matters, shoppers who rounded up at the register helped raise more than $340,000 for local nonprofit partners in 2025.
- Investing in the co-op’s future. When the Board declares a patronage refund, a portion is returned directly to owners, while the remainder stays in the co-op as owner equity, strengthening the business for years to come.
Join Us This October
More than 50 years after that first backyard meeting, our co-op is still owned by the people who shop here.
If you’re already an owner, thank you! Your ownership helps make all of this possible.
If you’re not yet an owner, Co-op Month is a great time to join. Become an owner online or stop by the Customer Service desk at Wedge Lyndale or Wedge Linden Hills.