What started as an idea to bring good food and culinary education to the Chequamegon Bay Area has grown into a community institution.
Now celebrating its 50th year in business, the Chequamegon Food Co-Op continues to be driven by its members. Membership has climbed past 3,000, helping push annual sales to $6.1 million — a milestone that propelled the store into the “medium sized” co-op category within National Cooperative Grocers.
“It’s great to have a decent-sized grocery store right downtown in a rural area,” said John Adams, the Co-Op’s marketing director.
The Co-Op opened its first storefront in 1976. After relocating several times throughout Ashland, the Co-Op purchased the former Bob’s Factory Outlet Furniture building at 700 Main Street West in 2011. The new store opened in 2014 and has operated there ever since.
A shared appreciation for good food among shoppers and employees has remained a constant across the half-century.
“We sell 80% of our products to members. We’re reliant on the local population,” Adams said.
Mary Kuhlman and Linda Rise both worked at the Co-Op for more than a decade. They enjoyed working with a good community of people, frequently running into familiar faces while shopping and meeting someone new while helping them find a particular item, Kuhlman said during the Co-Op’s 50th anniversary celebration in March.
Their days working there are behind them, but the Co-Op still holds a special place in their hearts.
Natural light, shorter aisles offering an expansive view of the whole store, and the aroma from the deli area make for a welcoming atmosphere and a more enjoyable shopping experience.
“It’s not a dark warehouse like a lot of grocery stores,” Adams said.
All of that makes the Co-Op a “comfortable place to be,” Kuhlman said with a smile.
Kuhlman and Rise aren’t the only ones who have stayed connected to the Co-Op for long stretches.
“The consistency of employee longevity has been a really unique thing about the store. There are five managers who have been here 15-plus years. There’s a lot of knowledge and relationships built over the years,” Adams said.
Manager Kiersten Galazan grew up going to the Co-Op with her family and started working there in 2004. The Co-Op has remained a good fit as she climbed the ranks from part-time cashier and stocker to manager.
Like Kuhlman and Rise, Galazan enjoys coming to work because of the people she encounters daily and her passion for good food.
“It’s really about the people — our employees, our owners, our customers,” she said. “Our customers are friends and neighbors, which has always given a community feel since day one. It’s just a good group of folks. Did I mention I really like good food?”
The Co-Op isn’t just a name. Being cooperative is also a mindset among the staff.
“We’re all good about helping each other out,” she said.
The store is generally busy, but when time permits, Galazan enjoys having a little fun with her co-workers.
She is pleased to be part of a place that is member-owned and serves such a large portion of the community.
“Fifty years of being an independent grocer is no small feat. I am proud to be part of this place,” she said.
Dining and Cooking