Food Co-Op Ready to Start Membership Drive

Less than two years after embarking on a mission to open a grocery store in center city or on the South Side, the Bethlehem Food Co-Op is about to begin selling memberships.

On Monday, the Co-Op announced that its membership drive will begin on July 1 during a potluck picnic at Illick’s Mill Park.

Co-op representatives will be on hand to answer questions about the perks of membership and the timeline for opening the store. There will be giveaways for pioneering members.

The picnic will take place from 5-9 p.m. in the park’s first pavilion, the one closest to Illick’s Mill Road. Remarks from co-op and community leaders are planned for about 6 p.m. Children are welcome. A coloring contest is planned.

The effort toward establishing a food co-op in the city began in November 2011, coalescing around community dissatisfaction with the lack of a true grocery store in the city’s historic downtown and a large portion of South Bethlehem.

More than 50 people showed up for the initial meeting and the effort has grown since with more than 1,200 followers on Facebook. A store opening by the spring of 2014 has been the target for organizers.

You can RSVP for the membership drive kickoff by going to the group’s Facebook page.