CCWFC Organizational History

The Cook County Whole Foods Co-op was born on a homestead named “Castle Yonder” just outside of Grand Marais, Minnesota in the late 1960’s.  Several families in the Good Harbor Hill neighborhood were looking for a simple life on the land. This lifestyle included healthy, inexpensive food.  To meet this need, they held potlucks to decide what bulk quantities of food they wanted to purchase in Minneapolis and bring back North to be stored in Jim and Betsy Bowen’s basement.  When provisions were needed, these same neighbors would come to collect beans, rice or peanut butter and leave their money in a coffee can bank. 

Our liquid assets! Our parking lot has flooded twice during huge rain storms, but it's never come in the front door! We even managed to unload the produce truck that day.

When the Bowens moved to Arizona, the group decided to officially incorporate this distribution system as a Minnesota cooperative. In June 1976, the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op opened its first storefront in one of the Gopher Cabins on the east end of Grand Marais with 60 members on the roster by year’s end.

This new store was operated entirely by volunteers and was open only three days per week. Within two years the Co-op had expanded to 124 members and annual sales had reached $22,000.  In 1978 the storefront moved to the east end of the Sears building on Hwy 61 (currently the location of My Sister’s Place restaurant) where it remained until 1982. The storefront then moved to the kitchen of Mabel’s Café on the corner of 1st Ave. W. and Wisconsin St. where it grew and changed for almost two decades. 

During the 1980’s and early 1990’s growth was slow but steady.  Product lines were added one by one to include perishables, non-food taxable items, frozen foods, and fresh produce.  Major capital improvements included a digital scale, freezer, and gravity feed bulk bins.   Exterior and interior remodels kept the store up to date and increasingly more functional.  Judy Peterson was the General Manager during the last extensive remodel in 1992.  At that time the Co-op numbered 320 members and annual sales had topped the $100,000 mark. 

During the mid 1990’s the store started to be quite profitable.  With Dominique Holz as General Manager, the Co-op’s savings account started to grow, putting it in a great position for an eventual relocation.  Half of all working hours were still completed by volunteers at this time. 

As with many natural food cooperatives around the country, CCWFC started to experience a period of incredible growth in the late 1990’s.  In order to keep up with the expanding business, several key moves were made.  The most important was switching to a member equity system rather than a dues-based membership. At this same time, the entire business became computerized with its bookkeeping and cash register systems.  Amy Henrikson guided the Co-op through these transitions soon after she was hired as the General Manager in 1998.

By the year 2001, the 600 square foot store was starting to feel incredibly cramped. Annual sales had topped $300,000 and the employee count had reached seven.  It was time to relocate.  After several options were explored, the final decision was made to purchase the former Cascade Kayaks building on the East Bay. With financing from Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund, Grand Marais State Bank, the Cook County Loan Fund, and member loans, we were able to purchase the building and remodel it before the year was out.   Two weeks before Christmas, the expansion project was complete and the doors opened on a new era. 

After the relocation to the new 3,000 square foot facility, sales growth has topped 20% each year until 2006.  In 2005, annual sales hit the $1 million milestone.  The bigger space has enabled the Co-op to offer fresh deli items, frozen meats, a seating area, a walk-in cooler and office space to accommodate an expanding staff which now numbers twenty-two.  A small addition was added to the building in 2005.  In January of 2006, the Co-op purchased a local artisan bread wholesaler, the Good Harbor Hill Bread Co. 

In 2006 Amy Henrikson, recognizing the need for a full-time General Manager, resigned. The next year was a time of transitions as the Co-op operated with several interim managers and struggled with financial management. In the spring of 2007, Kelly Rauzi was hired as General Manger. The bakery was closed due to loss of rental space, staff and the high cost of expansion. Over the next three years, the Co-op upgraded its systems including a new POS system and transitioned to more full time management staff.

Jennifer Stoltz was hired as General Manager in June 2010. In 2010 sales topped $1.6 million and the number of active owners was over 1,500.