Buying clubs sprang up all around the Springfield area in the 1970s. These small groups of dedicated individuals preceded the Springfield Food Co-op with their consumer demand for healthful and socially responsible alternatives to big grocery. As more people joined these clubs, a storefront became a more convenient way to access the desired goods. A tiny cooperative named The Pantry was open in downtown Springfield for about 5 years but was ultimately unsuccessful.
Then in 1992 a board of directors was formed and the Springfield Food Co-op opened on the Chester Road. A wide selection of dry goods, produce, and health products were available in this charming and convenient community setting for 13 years.

The Co-op was notified in 2005 that they would have to vacate their Chester Road location. There was not enough time to make arrangements to move immediately, so by August of 2005 the Co-op sold off its goods and the doors closed.
Eight months later, with the generous help of volunteers, the Co-op reopened at its current location, 335 River Street. The Co-op has evolved quite a bit over the years, but it continues to offer a natural selection of choices ripe for the pick’n. There’s little bit of everything, 365 days a year.