More than 40 years ago, the Cook County Whole Foods Co-Op started on the front porch of a local artist in Grand Marais. The idea was to put donations into a coffee can and people could take the number of bulk coffee beans, grains, and other items for an amount they felt was fair.
In 40 years, much has changed. Now located in downtown Grand Marais, the Cook County Whole Foods Co-Op is a bustling enterprise that’s open seven days a week. It features an assortment of fresh, organic produce, meat, dairy products, grains, bulk products and homemade soups, salads, and sandwiches. Also lining the shelves are kind-to-the-earth health care items and eco-friendly cleaning supplies. The local co-op has more than 2,500 owner-members. And while members are key to the structural roots of the business, anyone is welcome to shop at the co-op.
An in-house deli that features rotating soups and fresh sandwiches makes the co-op a popular spot during the lunch hour. A full retail section with organic avocadoes, tomatoes and nearly every other produce item one can think of greets visitors as they enter the store. Situated atop the roof of the business is a series of solar panels, as the co-op strives for reducing its carbon footprint while also embracing the concept of ‘food as medicine’ to its many loyal customers.