Co-opportunity Market history

In November 1975, our founders received a $30,000 loan from local resident, Kathy Canada, to open a member-owned food cooperative.

In anticipation of this growth, the Co-op incorporated in January 1976, and changed its status from a limited partnership to a cooperative corporation in July.

In 1981 the former buying club incorporated in the State of Tennessee as non-profit club.

By 1990, Bloomingfoods had posted annual sales of $1.3 million and had accumulated $100,000 in the bank.

Rather than abandoning the original location, the Board of Directors decided to open a second co-op store in 1991.

In 1992, member-owners approved the change that would require each new member-owner to invest a $90 refundable equity deposit in the co-op.

In May 2001, the co-op purchased the Encore Café, on West Sixth Street.

However, the most significant change came in 2002, when the Onion River Co-op entered into an agreement with the city of Burlington in which they would operate a grocery store on land leased from the city.

This change signaled a new era and the former KCFC became Three Rivers Market, a genuine customer-owned cooperative business. Therefore, in 2005, the KCFC changed its structure from a dues-based club to an equity-based cooperative.

When Will retired in 2006, the Co-op had cash in the bank and had become a financially solid, debt-free business, poised to thrive and grow even more.

Bloomingfoods Near West SideOn July 4th, 2007, Bloomingfoods West opened at 6th and Madison.