Des Moines Food Co-op Now Open

This comes from an email from the Tallgrass Grocery:

Tallgrass Grocery Co-op
116 Fifth Street, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
tallgrassgrocery@gmail.com

West Des Moines--The Des Moines area's new retail grocery cooperative will open on September 15 with an open house and "sneak peek" preview party for members the previous evening. The opening date was set after the co-op more than doubled its goal in recruiting members during the month of June.

"The response to our membership drive drove us to our goal of opening in September, a time when the harvest of local produce is still plentiful," said Carlyn Crowe, a member of the co-op's board and membership committee. "Since then we've had a tremendous response from members who are volunteering their time to contact producers, build-out the store, and develop membership communications--it is truly a community effort.

Tallgrass Grocery Co-op will be a new retail grocery located in the Valley Junction area of West Des Moines. A co-op is managed and governed by its member-owners. Tallgrass Co-op hopes to focus its product assortment on local produce, meat, dairy and other Iowa and regional products as much as possible. The opening activities will provide the opportunity for Tallgrass to showcase local producers who are supplying the co-op.

"We're having a preview party on Wednesday night as a benefit for members who will also be able pick up their membership card and gift," said Christine McNunn, interim general manager, and an original member of the steering committee that started the plans for the co-op over a year ago. "And we're excited to get members in the door to experience the co-op!”

The co-op's sneak-peek preview party is Wednesday, September 14 from 5:00-7:00 p.m., with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony with West Des Moines leadership at 6:00 p.m. The party includes live music and refreshments with a suggested donation of $10. If a member brings a new member who signs up that evening, both receive a complimentary pass to the party. Opening day for the public will be Thursday, September 15, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m., when Tallgrass will officially open for business. Producers who are supplying the co-op with local meats and produce will be on hand to meet Tallgrass members and others.

For more information and to become a member, contact Tallgrass at tallgrassgrocery@gmail.com.

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