Let’s take a stroll down memory lane. In the mid-1970s a few community members got together to form a buying club to allow people to save money by buying their food in bulk. The first location was in a member's garage, and then later a building on Pismo Street, near South Higuera.

In 1979, the Questa Co-op moved into the building on Francis Street that was to be home for more than 30 years. Initially, the Co-op was open to members only but eventually all were welcome to shop, though any who volunteered were able to pay less for their purchases.

In 2013 the Co-op, renamed to SLO Natural Foods Co-op, moved around the corner to our current location on Victoria Avenue. While some miss the quirkiness and charm of the old location, our new store is much more spacious, allowing room for so many more products, as well as off-street parking for cars and bicycles.

In 2019, with the Co-op growing quickly, the Board of Directors brought on a new General Manager to help guide the organization towards it’s next incarnation and simplified it’s name to SLO Food Co-op. Today, we’re a thriving storefront and SLO’s only community-owned marketplace!

Food Co-op history

The story of the Rochdale Pioneers narrates how a group of people from ordinary working families set up their cooperative by a set of values and principles that keep inspiring people all over the world. Enjoy this short video about how cooperatives began and continue to thrive!