When the Wasatch Food Co-op opened its doors for the first time, the line just to get inside wrapped around the block.
“Now that it's open, I'm like, OK, this is my cup of tea,” said Liberty Wells neighborhood resident Sharla Heydorf. “We're all stoked, especially when you walk just a block away to go grocery shopping.”
Salt Lake City’s first community-owned grocery store is located in what’s known as the Milk Block, just west of Liberty Park. Behind the building’s sleek, modern exterior is a wide selection of goods, from locally sourced produce, meats and flowers to shampoo and toothpaste.
“I like farmers markets,” said shopper Andres Medina. “And so the idea of having a collection of local things to shop from, I just like that.”
Those familiar with the Liberty Wells neighborhood will know the location well. Nestled amongst restaurants and cafes, the co-op renovated and took over the former space of Southeast Market, which closed its doors in 2022.
In the works since 2009, the co-op’s opening has been a labor of love and community.
“The co-op exists because this community showed up again and again to build something together, so I just can't get over it,” said co-op board vice-chair Adelaide Corey-Disch.
The initial idea was for a small corner grocery store. But then they got a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct a market study on whether a grocery co-op would be feasible in Salt Lake City. That paved the way for what would become the more than 6,500 square-foot full-scale grocery operation.
The road to the May 20 opening day has come with its share of speed bumps. Membership growth almost stopped in 2014. Over the following years, a location was selected, then fell through, then selected again, before planning finally began for a grand opening. Today, the co-op boasts over 2,000 members.
Anyone can shop at the store, but the co-op model is unique. Membership is a one-time cost of $300, and makes someone a co-owner of the store. That comes with discounts, a say in how things run and even dividends that are paid out in profitable years.
And the sense of community shows up in shopping carts as well.
“There is that 20% mandate to have at least 20% of our inventory sourced locally, that could be within the state or within the region, and I think that's the biggest difference with what you'll see on the shelves,” she said.
Corey-Disch said that in a typical commercial grocery store, only about 5% of items would be considered local. As of now, at least 46 local vendors sell their goods at the store. Many opening day shoppers pointed to the abundance of local items, marked with bright green tags, as the major draw.
“We've got farmers markets in the summer, but we've got such a long winter, so it'll be nice to have some local products during the wintertime, too,” said Kaylee Smart, who picked up doughnuts, curry, kombucha and tortillas on her first visit to the store. “I'd say that's the appeal, for sure.”
That local focus does occasionally come with a higher price tag. Corey-Disch said prices will vary depending on seasonality and supply constraints. One big request from membership, she said, was to have affordable options, as well.
“There will be a mix of things that are local, you'll see local ranchers, but then also things that are really affordable,” she said. “They do need a fair price, so it is always going to be a balancing act between paying a producer a living wage or a fair price for their goods, but then also trying to be conscious of the consumer and finding things that work for people's budget, real people.”
At least on opening day, shoppers like Sharla Heydorf didn’t mind that possible price bump.
“I was worried about it at first, but walking around, it's actually like everywhere else, if not cheaper,” she said. “But to me, it's worth paying a little bit more, just because it's better for you, and it's better for our environment. It's better in the long run.”
