Blog

In October, we celebrate National Co-op Month along with all types of cooperatives across the country. This year’s theme, Built for This Moment, is a reminder that cooperatives were created to address market failures and respond to structural and social crises. In fact, co-ops thrive in the face of uncertainty and challenge, which sounds all too familiar.

So how was Open Harvest built for this moment?

If the past five decades have taught us anything, it’s that we must be willing to change.

You know our story: Open Harvest began in 1971, when a group of Lincoln residents came together to form People’s Food Co-op, a buying club built around a simple idea that people could work together to access the food they wanted, that wasn’t available in regular grocery stores at the time. Following several years of immense growth and a leap of faith on what more the club could be, the co-op became Open Harvest and opened its first storefront at 27th and Randolph in 1975. Since then, we’ve occupied three different locations, each reflecting the changing needs of our owners and community in the moment.

Our history is a story of adapting while holding on to what matters – the values and principles shared by all co-ops. In 1990, we moved to 16th and South. In 2009, we expanded our space and operations to serve a growing community. And in February 2024, we took one of the biggest leaps in our history, relocating to the Telegraph District. The move brought new opportunities, a larger store, and a chance to reimagine how a neighborhood food co-op could continue to serve Lincoln. It also brought significant financial commitments and the hard work of building new systems, strengthening operations, and establishing our home in a new space.

Looking back, it’s clear that Open Harvest has never stood still. The grocery business has changed, our community has changed, and what people need from us has changed, too. The world is very different from what it was back in the 1970’s. We’ve had to make many difficult decisions along the way. Not every change has been easy, but each chapter has depended on new people willing to put in the work and believe there was a reason to keep the spirit of Open Harvest alive.

That’s what I think makes cooperatives especially relevant right now. We exist because people saw a need that wasn’t being met and decided to do something about it — together. That idea still matters, and it’s powerful. At Open Harvest, it means working to make good food more accessible while creating a place where people feel welcome. It means supporting local producers and helping keep more of our food dollars in the community. And it means running a financially healthy business so we can keep doing this work for years to come.

We’re not immune to the challenges facing independent grocers. We feel the pressure of rising costs, the growing complexities of our food system, the changing shopping habits, and customers who are watching every dollar. Being a co-op doesn’t make those challenges disappear. It does give us a reason to keep asking how we can do things better, with a consideration to a community of people who have a stake in the answer.

I am certain about one thing: Open Harvest’s future will look different from its past. It must. What I hope never changes is the belief that brought people together in 1971– the spirit of cooperation and knowing we can build something better when we work together. Open Harvest wasn’t just built for one moment, but for all of them.

So, as we look to the rest of the month, remember what makes our co-op unique – it’s the people. The co-op owners who are asked to vote for new directors and Seed Program recipients. The people who shop and work every day. And the people who are just discovering what Open Harvest is all about.

No matter who you are, thank you for being part of Open Harvest’s journey. I’m so glad you are here for this moment.

In cooperation,

Amy Tabor
General Manager

Resource: https://us.coop/blog/2026-co-op-month-is-just-around-the-corner/