GreenTree Co-op Market launched their new location as an anchor tenant of 410 W Broadway St, a mixed-use development in Mt. Pleasant’s downtown center, immediately to the west of City Hall. According to the City of Mt. Pleasant, efforts have been made to redevelop the site since 2003, but challenges have included environmental contaminants from past uses and a high water table from the nearby Chippewa River.
GreenTree’s expansion will serve to significantly enhance access to fresh, healthy and locally-grown foods in Mt. Pleasant. Retail access to organic and/or local-grown foods is otherwise quite limited, especially since the closure of Mt. Pleasant’s Kroger supermarket, and the Coop’s new location will offer enhanced visibility and accessibility to the local community.
The Co-op was founded in 1970 by students at Central Michigan University (CMU) as a buying club, which sourced vegetables from the Grand Rapids Farmers Market to make available to the Mt. Pleasant community. In 1977 the Coop moved to a small storefront location at 214 N Franklin St, and was formally incorporated as a cooperative in 1979. GreenTree Coop has successfully operated in the same location for more than 40 years, building a dedicated membership of over 2,300 that includes students, faculty and staff from CMU, as well as other members of the Mt. Pleasant community drawn to its offerings of natural foods and wellness products, locally-sourced produce and bulk goods.
