Powderhorn Food Community Co-op (Minneapolis, Minn.).

In early 1972, a group of 21 and 22 year olds formed a political commune with the intention of doing social change community organizing in the working class area of south Minneapolis. There were 5 women and 4 men. Half of the group had met in Catholic high schools in the East Metro, the remainder had met in college urban studies programs in Chicago and Minneapolis.

They decided to begin by organizing a food store in the area south of Lake Street. Community meetings were held in the basement of Walker Church and the basic model of the store was hammered out. It was organized as a Minnesota nonprofit corporation “to promote the health and welfare of the community served and the populace at large through the sale and distribution of wholesome, natural and whole grain foods in an ecologically sound manner permitting the highest degree of customer self-control over quality and content of basic nutrition” (Powderhorn Food Community, Inc. Articles of Incorporation, February 23, 1972. Minnesota Secretary of State File J-984).

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