The Food Shed is more than a grocery store. It is a business owned by more than 2,740 local households—and our Annual Owner Celebration & Meeting is our chance to come together, hear how our co-op is doing, and help shape what comes next.
Please join us Thursday, September 17, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Kishwaukee Brewing Co. Food Shed owners Cara and Dan Payson are welcoming us to their brewery for an evening that combines important co-op business with conversation, community, and a little fun.
As Board President, I’ll share the State of the Co-op—where we’ve been, what we’ve learned since opening, the progress we’re making, the impact we are having and what lies ahead.
One thought will be at the heart of that conversation:
We built the store. Now we build the business.
Like many young businesses, the Food Shed is still growing into itself. We have been learning while operating with limited resources and without the extensive systems, support, and financial cushion that established grocery chains have built over many years. Some lessons have come easily; others have come the hard way.
Each passing month gives our staff, management, and Board a better understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and where we can strengthen our systems, sharpen our execution, and build greater expertise. With guidance from experienced outside consultants—and a lot of hard work by our team—we are putting those lessons into practice. We are beginning to see encouraging results, including stronger weekly sales.
We are no longer simply learning how to run the Food Shed. We are learning how to run it better.
And the Food Shed has always been about more than groceries.
Co-ops help build community. They connect neighbors with farmers and food makers, keep more food dollars circulating locally, and give shoppers a way to support a food system that is more local, transparent, resilient, and less dependent on heavily processed food and the largest players in Big Ag and Big Food.
No single store changes that system. But thousands of people making different choices together can help to start moving the needle. That is the power of a cooperative.
Ownership also means having a voice. Please watch your inbox this coming week for your Board election ballot. Three incumbent directors are seeking to continue serving, and two newcomers are stepping forward to join the Board. Your vote is an important part of governing your co-op. If you, as an owner, are interested in serving on the Board in the future, please let us know.
So, make plans to join us September 17. Hear how your co-op is doing, celebrate what we’ve accomplished, meet fellow owners, ask questions, drink a beer or soft beverage, eat some food and be part of the conversation about what comes next.
A stronger co-op builds a stronger local food system—and a stronger community.
Thanks for shopping with us!
Scott T. Brix
Board President
This article was originally published in the Owner Beet newsletter as part of the Cultivating Cooperation series by Board President Scott Brix (August 2026).