Milestones of Chequamegon Food Co-op
March 9, 1976 We incorporate as Chequamegon Food Cooperative
August 1976 We open a storefront on East Second Street
Fall 1976 We move to a larger east side store
July 1977 We hire Pat Welch as our first manager
April 1978 Co-op moves to 723 2nd Street W.
April 1978 Co-op gets first telephone
May 1978 Co-op offers pre-packaged fruits and nuts
September 1978 Members adopt first food policy – to buy organic foods
September 1978 Store is now open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
September 1978 Suzanna Brand wins Co-op logo contest
June 1979 Move made to Kuzzy’s Market
December 1979 Co-op has up to 4 part-time employees
November 1980 Co-op members boycotted Campbell’s/Libby’s
Winter 1980 First cookbook published
August 1981 Our 5th birthday party!
September 1981 Began buying bread as well as baking in-store
January 1982 Stopped in-store baking and purchased from Millstone Bakery
February 1982 Eric Sorenson hired part-time
September 1982 Mary Bondeson hired as co-manager
April 1983 Began offering vitamins and more Haagen-Daz flavors
November 1983 Moved to 215 Chapple Avenue
January 1984 Peggy Hakala hired as co-manager
May 1984 Store open Monday-Saturday
June 1984 Board holds first planning retreat to review mission & goals
July 1984 Bananas no longer stocked because of political concerns
January 1985 Co-op has $10,000 loss, 375 active members
January 1985 Bill Welch hired as manager
April 1985 Store survey held: shoppers want natural, organic, bulk and variety
October 1985 Board discusses closing store due to low cash flow
October 1985 Members vote to keep Co-op open & organize concerts, bake sales
February 1986 Store almost closes again, but members commit to keeping it open
November 1986 Co-op has 10th birthday party, 90 people attend
January 1987 Store purchases building at 215 Chapple Ave.
Fall 1988 Co-op holds the 2nd annual Largest Pumpkin Contest
January 1990 Linda Rise hired as manager
1990 Mary Kuhlman hired, Co-op has 450 members
1990 Congress passes Organic Food and Production Act, precursor to Organic Certification
1991 Co-op newsletter restarted after months without one
1992 Store buys produce cooler, starts carrying more produce
1993 Grace Heitsch makes green and white awning for the store
1993 Store receives Main Street grant to renovate the storefront
1993 Store distributor changes from North Farm to Blooming Prairie
May 1994 Store floor renovated from brown linoleum to teal & beige tile;
August 1996 Store’s 20th birthday celebration held at the Black Cat Coffeehouse
August 1996 Co-op run/walk held
September 1997 Co-op has a record day of $2,149 in sales
1998 Co-op sales increase by 9 percent for the year
February 1999 Fire destroys One on One Hair Designing at 213 Chapple Ave.
July 1999 Co-op closes on purchasing 213 Chapple Ave. building
1999 More than $500,000 in sales, with sales increases of 20 percent
February 2000 Dhooge’s Store mural featured in Daily Press in process of being painted in a studio by Kelly Meredith and Sue Martinsen
Summer 2000 Dhooge’s Store mural installed on the outside of 215/213 Chapple
Winter 2001 Remodeling of 215/213 Chapple Avenue takes place
Fall 2002 North Farm Cooperative files bankruptcy; UNFI buys Blooming Prairie Cooperative Warehouse
Summer 2004 Co-op sponsors “Supersize Me” for the Bay Area Film Society at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center
Winter 2004 New floors installed
Spring 2006 30 years of Co-op bliss!
Fall 2006 Chequamegon Food Co-op 30th Anniversary Cookbook released
Winter 2007 Mary Kuhlman leaves the Co-op after nearly 18 years
2007 First Microloans to area producers get awarded
2007 – 1300 Memberships, 22 Employees and $1.8 million in sales
Spring 2008 Tim White hired as general manager
Fall 2008 “Muncher” newsletter renamed “Grapevine”
Winter 2008 Co-op purchases the Betzold Farm near Bayfield, names it “Chequamegon Foods Farm”
Summer 2009 The Chequamegon Food Co-op joins the National Co-op Grocer’s Association
Spring 2010 Co-op Board of Directors begins Policy Governance
2010 – $2.25 Million in Sales
Fall 2011 The Board purchases Bob’s Factory Outlet building at 700 Main St. W. for $235,000.
2011 – Cheeky Monkey fruit for kids program begins
Winter 2014 Construction Begins to remodel Bob’s into the new Co-op.
October 2014 We open our new store on Main Street
December 2015 $4.1 million in sales after first full year in new location
2016 Harold Vanslow retires as General Manager
2017 GMT hired, Meagan Van Beest, Vicki Richeson, and Kiersten Galazen
2018 Owner Rewards Points Program Starts
2019 Vicki Richeson and Meagan Van Beest retire from the management team
2020 We issue first patronage since store expansion in 2014 and start selling wine and liquor
2021 We are awarded a Produce Double Dollars grant to offer more fruits and veggies to SNAP recipients
2021 Julie Sorenson retires after 20 years in the Health and Body Department
2022 We sell Chequamegon Foods Farm to Hauser family on land contract
2024 Craig Buttke from Solar CBI installs solar panels on our roof
2024 Our brickwork and brownstone portions of the building are refurbished, replacing 600 bricks
2024 Brian Kowalczyk paints Chapple Ave. and Main Street sides of our building
2024 We record $6.2 million in sales, pushing us into the “medium sized” co-op category in National Co-op Grocers