Eating healthy and supporting home grown groceries from the Bloomington-Normal community is one step closer to becoming a reality for residents.

Green Top Grocery, Bloomington-Normal’s first cooperative grocery store, is beginning to take steps towards finding potential store locations, creating a solid member base and opening its own site.

After months of searching, Green Top finally has a temporary office location to begin organizing store openings while looking for a permanent location to open a store.

The new temporary office is located in the Constitution Trail Plaza on East Empire Street in Bloomington.

“We’re hoping to be able to use it for maybe open houses and things like that,” organizer Melanie Shellito, said.

This location will be used as a collaborative space and will provide as a springboard for Green Top in their efforts to take steps necessary to open a store.

Although the office is not fully staffed at all times, it is open for business and now has one centralized location where all organizers and members can go to for meetings, activities, planning and collaborative work, Shellito said.

The co-op is beginning its search for a permanent location in several different sites throughout Bloomington-Normal.

While it is important to begin looking and keep that a priority, it is also important to increase its member base and support in order to start off with a strong lead, Shellito said.

Green Top Grocery’s website indicates there are approximately 100 members signed up, while the target number of members in order to more forward is 500.

Additional members and interest in the organization are needed to continue moving forward to make a difference and impact the community, Shellito said.

In order to provide the general public with a greater sense for Green Top Grocery’s mission and devotion to the community, along with recruitment for new members, Green Top organizers also plan to hire a part-time project manager.

“This position will be helping with ownership drives and events and things like that to help raise awareness,” Shellito said.

The organization is looking to hire more positions throughout the next year as it grows and expands towards becoming its own independent store.

Supporters, interested members and potential store owners all meet monthly to discuss plans and upcoming steps to make their dream a reality.

Green Top’s next meeting is scheduled for 7-8:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Normal Public Library’s Community Room.

For additional questions, contact Green Top Grocery via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit its Facebook page.