Description
Like many other cooperatives, New Leaf Market originally began as a buying club to provide its owners, mostly college students and young families, with affordable, healthy food. In 1974 the buying club legally became the Leon County Food Cooperative (LCFC). On May 1, 1974 the Co-op found its first permanent home at 702 S. Macomb with only 200 owners, $1000 in capital and $260 in inventory. Just a year and a half later in 1976 the LCFC moved to a warehouse at 649 W. Gaines Street, which offered approximately 4,500 sq. ft. of retail space in addition to housing the Canopy Road Credit Union. The LCFC was staffed by volunteers and led by a three-person management team and a small Board of Directors.