First Alternative Co-op

First Alternative was founded in 1970 by a diverse group of concerned citizens and Oregon State University students. They were committed to offering education for people who wanted to adopt healthier lifestyles, and to provide the community with a source of high quality, nutritious foods at the lowest possible prices. To this day, we continue to strive to be a cooperative model, providing natural and organic food in community-oriented stores. First Alternative was founded in 1970 by a diverse group of concerned citizens and Oregon State University students. They were committed to offering education for people who wanted to adopt healthier lifestyles, and to provide the community with a source of high quality, nutritious foods at the lowest possible prices. To this day, we continue to strive to be a cooperative model, providing natural and organic food in community-oriented stores. FIRST ALTERNATIVE HISTORY TIMELINE The idea for First Alternative Co-op was born: a community-run place to find quality natural foods at an affordable price. Oregon State University Professor William Denison mentored a group of students who helped start the Co-op along with members of the Corvallis community. The Co-op first opened its doors to the public on November 23, 1970. Volunteers sold customers bulk foods: beans, rice, flour, nuts, honey, and cheese. This photograph from a Gazette Times article shows opening day at First Alternative, with customers stocking up on dry goods. The Co-op moved to its current South Corvallis location on SE 3rd St. in what used to be a drive-in. In the mid-1970s, fresh produce at the Co-op was sold from a stand outside the building. By 1979, produce moved indoors, becoming part of the store. Unemployment, inflation, and competition from Waremart’s new bulk department flattened growth in this period. The Co-op initiated many enhancements in the eighties: exterior signage, advertising, shopping carts, and beer/wine. This photo shows the newly installed exterior sign for the store, installed in 1985. Staffing the store with volunteers, as its model had been in the 70s and 80s, often posed big challenges.The Co-op experienced steady growth in the 1990s and transitioned gradually from being a volunteer-based to an employee-based organization. In 1999, the Co-op Board, with support of members, voted to restructure from a non-profit corporation to a cooperative business. During the early 2000s, the Co-op thrived, adding an in-house kitchen and a meat department. A remodel and expansion at the 3rd St. store included upstairs offices and backstock areas. The Co-op opened a second store in northwest Corvallis in a former Dari-Mart on the corner of 29th & Grant. It opened with a big celebration in the summer of 2003. Voted Business of the Year by Benton Chamber and Best Grocery Store by Gazette Times readers in 2006. In 2009, the North store did a major expansion. In 2008, the North Store expanded it’s retail space by almost double. The expansion allowed for increased product offerings, better customer shopping flow, improved parking, and overall improved service. Despite recent economic challenges, the Co-op reached a big milestone in Ownership in 2014, by signing up its 10,000th Owner. In 2020, the Co-op turned 50, but celebration plans had to be set aside as the COVID-19 pandemic surged. The store and its customers made major adjustments to ensure the community could access food as safely as possible. Our community rallied together and experienced a renewed appreciation for the awesome staff at First Alternative Co-op. In January of 2021, the Co-op experienced a fire in our Annex building at the South Store campus which housed our commissary kitchen, administrative offices, and storage. We were grateful that everyone involved was okay, but the building was a total loss. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our leadership team, specifically our Facilities Manager Anthony Mattos, First Alternative Co-op