November 10, 2015
![Take a look inside Mississippi Market's newest natural foods co-op Take a look inside Mississippi Market's newest natural foods co-op](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltcbdc0eb5f44266b5/64ff21c2fb8cb8d85198e53c/MMGrandOpening-E7Th0031-web.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Mississippi Market, a natural foods co-op in St. Paul, Minnesota, has been so popular among its members and customers that in early 2014, member-owners decided to invest more than $1.8 million to open a new store on the east side of town. Take a look at what the new store has to offer, and how popular it's become in just its first month.
The co-op projects $6.6 million in sales for the new store, which will have been open for 10 months when the fiscal year ends. That will contribute to the $35.5 million projected sales for the co-op as a whole.
The pizza shown here was made in the store's full-service deli, which includes a juice bar, salad bar, pizza station and rotating hot food buffet. The deli also offers fresh desserts, sandwiches and other grab-n-go items. The store also operates a meat (locally sourced) and seafood counter, with in-house butchers able to do special cuts and special orders.
The bulk foods section is a key feature at the co-op. The store also has a classroom with a kitchen for cooking classes, which are open to the public. Local, organic, fair trade and non-GMO products are featured.
In the first month of being open, 257 people have become member-owners at the East 7th Street store, adding to the 15,000-plus existing member-owners -- all of whom are member-owners of the whole organization (not any one location).
Stores are open for anyone to shop at -- no membership required.
Mississippi Market's new location, on East 7th Street, opened on September 2, 2015. It occupies 24,327 square feet -- 9,435 of which is retail -- giving it the largest retail space of the co-op's three locations.
Mississippi Market's new location, on East 7th Street, opened on September 2, 2015. It occupies 24,327 square feet -- 9,435 of which is retail -- giving it the largest retail space of the co-op's three locations.
In early 2014, member-owners of the St. Paul, Minnesota, co-op invested more than $1.8 million to open a new store on the east side of town. Here's a look inside.
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