Wouldn't you like to be an owner too?

We hope you are here because you have seen our signs around town and you are wondering what all the buzz is about. What does it mean that your neighbors are claiming to own a grocery store? Well - they do! Since we incorporated in 2014, over 1350 households, mostly in McHenry County, have purchased shares of stock in the Food Shed Co-op. They want to see the first ever Community Owned Grocery Store be built in our community. We might have chosen to call our owners members, but instead, we decided to call our members owners since all of us together own this up-and-coming grocery store.

The profile of a typical food co-op owner is that they are a strong advocate for local farms using sustainable agricultural techniques. Owner-members also value supporting the local economy, providing access to healthy local food and protecting the environment by reducing the distance food travels, thus reducing carbon emissions. They are usually interested in shopping at places aligned with their own values and being good citizens of the Earth. They are excited that, together, we are building a store that will be a model for sustainable living and help build a stronger, more resilient local food system. 

Our grass roots community project has been underway for over 7 years and we are approaching the finish line. On August 15, 2021 we started a capital campaign to raise the money to build an 8000 square foot grocery store at the corner of US HWY 14 and Lake Shore Drive in Woodstock (across from Shadow View Brewing). We call this campaign the Community Investment Campaign because it truly is a way to invest money right here at home in something you can touch and be proud of - versus investing money on Wall Street. The campaign will conclude on October 15, 2021. We expect to begin construction in the Spring of 2022 and open in the fall of 2022.

Learn more about the Community Investment Campaign at https://www.foodshed.coop/cic. You can learn more about the Food Shed Co-op by browsing around here on our website. Then click on a become-an-owner button whenever YOU are ready to own a grocery store! If you like our project and you have financial capacity we are still accepting investments and donations to help build our store. Your investments are mutually beneficial since you get paid back with potential dividends and/or interest at a higher rate than banks pay.  Since every dollar invested or donated by the community reduces our dependence on commercial lenders, please consider investing locally in the Food Shed Co-op as well as becoming an owner!