Although we began our food co-op as Wooster Food Co-op in October, 1971, we are still the very same food co-op, renamed Wooster Natural Foods in 2001. The store has moved four times since its first location on South Market Street in Wooster, and has been at the current location at 138 East Liberty St, the main street in downtown Wooster, since September, 1999.
The first two Co-op storefronts were each on South Market Street, with the second being torn down to make way for the senior housing building that's on the southeast corner of South Market and South Streets.
The third location was on S. Walnut Street, where a parking lot is now. Our Co-op was in the building that had Natalin's Restaurant in it. There was a fire in the building, though not in the Co-op, and the city condemned the building and tore it down.
In 1978 we moved to the corner of W. North and N Walnut Streets, and soon added a passive solar greenhouse onto the front of the building. This large house, formerly a doctor's home and office, had two apartments in it, which helped us with rental income. We had off street parking in the alley beside the Co-op. We remained there until 1999, when the County bought our property, to expand the Justice Center.
In September, 1999, we bought the building we're in now, at 108 E Liberty Street. We hope to be able to stay in this wonderful space, with its great location right on the main drag, for many years!
This is a very simple beginning for this History page. We have been in business for almost 42 years and counting now, and hope to create a nice solid history page here, as time goes on.
If you have stories or historical information about the Co-op that you can share, please contact Susan Shie. I became a Co-op member in 1971, but was very in and out over its first decade.
If you want to make comments or have any questions for Wooster Natural Foods, please visit our Facebook page. Thank you!
