Food co-op celebrates 30 years in service of the community
Its anniversary isn’t the only thing Phoenix Earth Food Co-op has to celebrate.
TOLEDO, Ohio — Along Sylvania Avenue in Toledo sits the Phoenix Earth Food Co-op.
“This co-op model allows us to do our own thing. We are not being beholden to some faraway corporate headquarters, we don’t have external shareholders, and we can set our own values,” explained Hermann von Grafenstein, the co-op’s board president.
That model, in which customers have the majority say, has allowed the co-op to see its 30th anniversary, which was celebrated on Sunday.
And of course, in attendance of the afternoon celebration, was all those who have come to rely on the services offered. While enjoying food, music, and fellowship, the co-op also celebrated the completion of its next-door garden, allowing customers to access even more nutritious food options.
“We are very much about local, you know, and it can’t be any more local than that. It’s right next-door,” von Grafenstein noted.
A fun fact about the garden is that it actually sits on the site of a former demolished building, but was provided by the city to become the flourishing garden it is today.
According to General Manager Sean Fitzgerald, food from the garden is both sold and donated. So it’s obvious why the store would be such a vital resource.
“We have been in operation for 30 years now. That’s quite an achievement because, let’s face it, groceries are a low-margin business, and it’s not easy to compete with much bigger stores who have the economy of scale on their side,” von Grafenstein added.
Phoenix Earth Food Co-op is located at 1447 West Sylvania Avenue. And for a look at the store’s hours, check out its website.
