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Memories of the Chequamegon Food Co-op…in Chronology

 

March 9, 1976             Chequamegon Food Co-op incorporated

August 1976                Storefront opens on East Second Street

Fall 1976                     Co-op moves to larger east side store

July 1977                    Pat Welch hired as 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 made 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, The Daily Press

covers the story

January 1987               Store purchases building at 215 Chapple Avenue

1988                            Co-op holds the 2nd annual Largest Pumpkin Contest

January 1990               Linda Rise hired as manager

1990                            Store sign moved from window to over storefront

1990                            Mary Kuhlman hired, Co-op has 450 members

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

April 1993                   David Genszler, Co-op Board member, appears in the Daily Press

grilling kabobs for the Co-op annual meeting

May 1993                    Linda Rise, store manager, appears in the Daily Press ‘Round the

Bay publication and promotes bulk products

May 1994                    Store floor renovated from brown linoleum to teal & beige tile;

we also have new shelving

June 1994                    Photo of Julie North painting the façade trim of the Co-op appears

in the Milwaukee Sentinel (taken by Jeff Peters)

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

July 1998                    County Journal writes a story about the variety of Co-op products

February 1999             Fire destroys One on One Hair Designing at 213 Chapple Ave.

July 1999                    Co-op officially closes on purchasing 213 Chapple Ave. building

1999                            The Co-op has more than $500,000 in sales for the year, 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

December 2000           Article in Northern Commerce runs about Co-op’s 25th anniversary

Winter 2001                Remodeling of 215/213 Chapple Avenue takes place

Spring 2001                Co-op expansion finished

2001 & 2002               Co-op participates in 4th of July parade with veggie puppets           

Fall 2002                     North Farm Cooperative files bankruptcy; Blooming Prairie

Cooperative Warehouse entertains purchase offer from United Natural Foods, Inc.

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 at the food Co-op

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

Spring 2008                Tim White hired as general manager

Summer 2008              Co-op participates in Alliance for Sustainability Green Team

Fall 2008                     “Muncher” newsletter renamed “The Grapevine”

Winter 2008                Co-op purchases the Betzold Farm, 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 pursues policy governance

Fall 2010                     Co-op holds open house and special member meeting in October

Winter 2010                Newsletter printed!

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