THE STORY OF WHOLE FOODS CO-OP’S EVOLUTION
Mary B and Jay Newcomb met in Duluth in 1974 and were both active members of the growing Whole Foods Co-op. More than just a grocery store, “It was a real community,” Jay said. As Owners, Mary B and Jay volunteered three hours a month, a requirement for all Owners at the time.
“I remember the honey,” Jay recalled of his volunteer tasks. “When we moved to the 8th Street store, the honey came in 50-gallon drums. We’d place them over the heater to warm the honey up so it would pour out.”
Founded in 1970, Whole Foods Co-op began as the Whole Foods Buying Club in Duluth’s Chester Creek neighborhood. It was a group of people who were passionate about locally grown and nutritious food, and alternative diets, like vegetarianism, who came together to make these whole foods accessible for the community.
“We wanted to make healthy food affordable and available to a lot of people,” Mary B shared. “[At that time] whole grains weren’t easy to find, and there was no big food distribution network for them.”
The Buying Club soon transformed into the Whole Foods Co-op, focusing on supplying nutritious and locally grown food to the community while enshrining into the burgeoning business the hallmark principles of a cooperative, including democratic principles, voluntary and open membership, and concern for community.
By the time the Newcombs joined, the Co-op had outgrown its original space in the basement of the Chester Creek House and moved to a location on 5th Street. It was gaining momentum and more Owners.
While the Co-op was built on strong community values, it was also becoming a business. People like Muriel Engstrom stepped up to help guide its financial success. “Muriel Engstrom was our rock,” Jay said. “We were all wild young people, and she kept us organized. She made sure the bills were paid.”
“She was an excellent role model,” Mary B added. “She did the bookkeeping and kept everything running smoothly.”
As the Co-op expanded, it needed to adapt. “We were growing, and we needed to be open more,” Mary B said. “We had to figure out how to serve more people.” Part of this was hiring consistent staff and expanding into a larger space.
Shifting away from the Owner/volunteer model, the Co-op grew into a more typical store model.
“It was a small step,” Jay said. “We didn’t want to go too far too fast.”
Soon, Fran Skinner, one of the founding Owners and long-time social justice advocate, helped launch the Creative Energies Collective. Comprised of paid staff and engaged Owners, the collective handled day-to-day operations and helped guide the Co-op through this period of growth.
“Creative Energies was organized by the Co-op workers,” Mary B explained. “It was the next step. When we knew the Co-op was surviving, then thriving, and we needed a way to manage daily decisions.”
Throughout all its growth, the Co-op’s success has always been rooted in the engaged Owners who shop, vote, and participate in events. “You have to build community to make this work,” Mary B said. “We’re participants, not spectators.”
Thanks to the dedication of Mary B, Jay, and countless other engaged Owners, Whole Foods Co-op has grown into a thriving two-store cooperative. Over the past five decades, it has supported food distribution networks that continue to bring nutritious food to Duluth while also supporting local farmers, and sparking positive change throughout the region.
“People want to be part of the real movement of cooperating with other people. So, it’s a successful place,” said Jay.
“We wanted to be a force for change, to make Duluth better for everyone,” Mary B said. Looking around the Co-op, Mary B added, “And we were right. It is possible to do this well.”
Whole Foods Co-op Celebrates 55 Years
This year Whole Foods Co-op marks 55 years of being community-owned and led, making positive impacts on local farmers, shoppers and the communities we serve. In celebration, we’ll be releasing a series of profiles of just a few of the many people across our history who’ve helped shape Whole Foods Co-op into what it is today.
What’s your favorite memory of Whole Foods Co-op? Share it with us!