Co-op History
Gathering Community Around Good Food
Supporting local food, healthy communities, and sustainable practices has always been at the heart of our co-op. In 2026, River Market Community Co-op and Mississippi Market Co-op united as one cooperative, bringing together nearly five decades of commitment to local food and community.
Founded in 1978 and 1979, both co-ops began as grassroots efforts to make fresh, local food more accessible. Today, we continue that shared legacy by strengthening our local food systems, supporting sustainable practices, and serving our members and communities.
Selby Store
Founded in 1979, Mississippi Market Co-op began as a small neighborhood co-op on the corner of St. Clair and Pascal with a mission to provide healthy, minimally processed food to the St. Paul community. Strong community support fueled steady growth, leading to a move in 1991 to a larger Randolph and Fairview location and the opening of a second store at Selby and Dale in 1999. As interest in natural and organic foods continued to rise, Mississippi Market expanded its offerings and strengthened its role as a community hub, providing fresh groceries, wellness products and prepared food. The Selby location’s second story houses the co-op’s administrative offices and several neighborhood-based nonprofit organizations.
Stillwater Store
River Market Community Co-op traces its roots to 1978, when a group of St. Croix Valley residents came together with a shared vision of providing access to healthy, natural foods through a community-owned grocery store. What began as a small volunteer-run co-op in downtown Stillwater soon grew into a thriving organization supported by members from across the region. Over the decades, the co-op expanded its products, services, and facilities while remaining committed to cooperative values, local partnerships, and community well-being. Today, River Market Community Co-op continues that legacy, building on a rich history of member engagement, sustainable growth, and a commitment to making healthy food accessible.
West 7th Store
In the early 2000s, Mississippi Market Co-op began searching for a new home for its Randolph store. In July 2009, the West 7th store opened at 1500 West 7th Street. Designed with sustainability and community connection at its core, the 7,700-square-foot store features environmentally friendly building elements, a community gathering space, a classroom, indoor and outdoor seating, and expanded food service offerings.
East 7th Store
In 2011, community leaders and East Side residents came together to explore bringing a food co-op to St. Paul’s East Side, forming the Gateway Food Initiative to advance healthy, local food access. The following year, the Gateway Food Co-op was incorporated. As plans progressed, Gateway Food Co-op partnered with Mississippi Market Co-op, ultimately deciding in 2014 to join forces and become part of the established co-op. Mississippi Market Co-op members invested more than $1.8 million to support the project, paving the way for the opening of the co-op’s third store on East 7th Street in September 2015.
Our Co-op
Our Values
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