Keweenaw Co-op moving downtown

The former Keweenaw Buick GMC location at 612 Quincy Street is about to have a new tenant. For the first time since 1986, the Keweenaw Co-op is on the move. The organization has signed a purchase agreement for the building, but so far has not said when the relocation will happen.

The Co-op says that the downtown Hancock spot is roomier and the aisles won’t be quite as cramped. Another benefit is additional parking spaces for customers, 60 in total, and access from US-41 in both directions.

The Co-op began in the backroom of the now defunct Funkey’s Karma Cafe in Houghton. The business specializes in organic and other health food offerings that continue to be difficult to find in the area.

The full press release, including reaction from General Manager Curt Webb, is below.

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Since it started as a buying club in 1973, the Keweenaw Co-op has a history of growth and change. As a local, community-owned institution it works to meet the evolving needs of its community while also responding to a continually changing grocery industry. Its next step is focusing on a move to a new location in downtown Hancock. The Co-op has entered into a purchase agreement for 612 Quincy Street, the former Keweenaw Buick GMC site.

The relocation will provide a more accessible and efficient space, wider aisles, and ample parking. It sets the Co-op up for more growth and service to the community in the future. “We are excited about the opportunity to serve our community even better with this location. The new store will have roughly double the space and 60 parking spots, and can be accessed from both Quincy and Hancock Streets,” says Curt Webb, General Manager of the Co-op. “We’ve been preparing for this expansion for a long time, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the Co-op’s 50th birthday in a bright new home!”

The Keweenaw Co-op started in 1973 as a pre-order bulk-buying club to provide the community with natural and organic foods that were otherwise not available at that time. Its first home was in the backroom of Funkey’s Karma Cafe in downtown Houghton. The Co-op grew quickly and soon moved to a small retail space in Hancock that operated with an all-volunteer staff. In 1986, after moving two more times, significantly increasing its product line, and supporting a paid staff, the Co-op moved to its current location and opened as a “full-line grocery store”.

Today, it remains the exclusive market for goods and services that people can’t get anywhere else in the Keweenaw, with a curated selection of organic, natural and local products for every diet. The new location will provide more space for an even wider selection of products, including more local products, an expanded deli and more!

The Co-op is a community-owned business. Everyone is welcome to shop at the Co-op, but members get extra benefits like discount days, Owner Deals, and special order pricing, plus an opportunity to participate in the democratic control of a local business. Stop by the Co-op and ask how to join, or find more information at www.keweenaw.coop.