Why go to just any old grocery store — which sells food from questionable places — when you can shop at a store that sells local foods?

Luckily for us, Eau Claire does have a store like that: Just Local Food Co-Op, located on Farwell Street. The store is just a short walk (11 minutes, according to Google maps) from Hibbard Hall, and sells fresh produce, meat, coffee and locally made beer.

Just Local is a cooperative, meaning instead of having a single owner, the store is owned by workers and customers — the people who use the services. Nik Novak, a meat buyer, “store keeper” and president of the Just Local co-op board said that currently the store has seven worker-owners and 287 customer-owners.

While Just Local has been around for about a decade now, until last fall, the worker-owners were only part of the co-op, Novak said. On Labor Day of last year Just Local changed the co-op bylaws to allow customers to become partial owners.

Novak said there are three primary benefits and privileges that come with being a owner. These include political benefits by being represented on the governing board; financial benefits, by receiving a share a specific year’s dividends if there is a profit; and, what Novak said was the most appealing, community benefits, which come from local food.

Depending on the season, Just Local may have more than 100 different providers supplying meat, produce and other foodstuffs. Novak said local providers always take priority, especially for produce, but during the off-season Just Local will source from free-trade and organic sources.
As the meat buyer for Just Local, Novak said he sources from about 20 different farmers.

“In many cases we actually go visit them,” he said. Novak said working and talking with farmers and customers is one of his favorite things about working with Just Local.

While it might be expected that a store which sells locally sourced food would be more expensive than your typical grocery store, Just Local keeps its prices fair.

Novak said many customers come from the apartments near Farwell Street, and these customers may not necessarily have the transportation to bring them to other grocery stores in Eau Claire. He said Just Local functions as a convenience store and local grocery store.

Novak also said the customer base for Just Local is “incredibly diverse” — with customers coming from downtown, the Third Ward area and the East Hill — all of these representing a wide range of incomes.

One of the best parts about walking into Just Local is the range of foods that are offered. I’m always lulled into the earthy smell of the store when I walk in — the produce is right by the entrance — and even more entranced as I make my way to the coffee section.

Overall, Just Local is an interesting part of the community, and I implore everyone who hasn’t stepped foot in there to take a short stroll and peruse the aisles.