Community Meetings

Join us for an informative community gathering to learn about efforts to establish a food co-op (a community-owned grocery store) in Alpena.

Over the last several decades, Alpena has lost nearly all of our locally-owned grocery stores. In the city limits, there is only ONE grocery store. It's time we change that.

Imagine a vibrant, community-owned grocery store in Downtown Alpena—a place that provides daily access to nutritious, high-quality food year-round, where you can also buy your standard grocery, pantry, and bulk food staples. By prioritizing locally grown and produced foods whenever possible, a food co-op can strengthen connections between local growers, producers, and eaters, while creating a welcoming destination that Northeast Michigan is proud of.

During this event, organizers will share a brief presentation about what a food co-op is, why this effort matters for our community, the work already underway, and how we can bring this vision to…