About The Show:

"Everybody that is a member of the Co-Op has a piece of the pie."

•  Dan Kelley

Dan Kelley, a natural food movement pioneer, shares his journey from the early days at Ozark Natural Foods Co-Op. A part of the original 500 members, Dan witnessed an era marked by community and simplicity. Cash boxes were unattended, and everyone knew one another.

Years later, after leaving and returning to Fayetteville in 1988, Dan has observed the Co-Op's incredible transformation. The once modest store has expanded into a diverse haven of organic products, complete with a Taproom and patio.

Despite the growth, Dan's commitment to community-focused values remains steadfast. He encourages young couples to join the Co-Op, emphasizing access to local products and unique services. 

Dan Kelley's legacy lives on, inspiring Ozark Natural Foods Co-Op's 13,500 members. The Co-Op stands as a testament to his unwavering belief in knowledge, quality, and sustainability.

What You Will Learn In This Episode:

• Discover the valuable insights gained from Dan Kelley's pioneering experience as an early general manager in the Co-Op movement.
• Uncover the fascinating history and obstacles faced by the Co-Op sector throughout more than 50 years of growth and transformation.
• Recognize the crucial role local farmers and the sourcing of natural foods play in promoting a sustainable food supply chain.
• Delve into the enticing benefits of joining the Co-Op business model as a member-owner, further empowering your involvement in sustainable food practices.
• Immerse yourself in the captivating community centered around a shared passion for wholesome, nutritious, and ethically sourced food.

All this and more on this episode of Ozark Natural Foods The Co-Op Podcast. 

Important Links and Mentions In This Episode:

• Visit Ozark Natural Foods to become a member and support the largest food Co-op in Arkansas.
• Try the dirty bread, a favorite of Dan Kelly, at Ozark Natural Foods.

This Episode is Sponsored By:

Ozark Natural Foods

Connect More With Ozark Natural Foods:

• Grab our Newsletter 
• Email Us at Info@ONF.Coop
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• Learn more about the History of Food Coops

We get by with a little help from our Co-Op Members and Friends!

Please consider rating and reviewing our podcast on Apple Podcasts or your Podcast player of choice. A little Love goes a long way. 

ONF – COOP – DAN KELLEY

ONF Open [0:00]

Welcome to Ozarks Natural Foods, the Coop podcast featuring stories and information about the largest food Coop in Arkansas based in Fayetteville and serving all of Northwest Arkansas. The Coop has been around for 50-plus years, providing community and encouraging a love of food that is good for us and our planet. Learn our history and standards of quality. Meet our Coop members, employees, and vendors, and understand why being locally focused is vital to our food, products, and economy. The Coop has leveraged Cooperative economics here in Northwest Arkansas to bring the freshest and the best food to our whole community. Listen to Ozark Natural Foods, the Coop podcast today to learn why.

Randy Wilburn [0:58]

Welcome to the Ozark Natural Foods Coop podcast. I'm your host, Randy Wilburn and we have a great episode in store for you today. We're sitting down with Dan Kelly, one of the earliest general managers of the Coop to learn more about the Coop his experiences here, and some stories that only he can tell. So we've had a chance on a couple of these episodes to sit down with some of what we would like to say were original or founding members of the Coop or people that were at the beginning. And so Dan is certainly one of those individuals and I think he said his ID number for the membership was 482. We also had Rania Trulley on and Rania said her number was 591. So they're kind of close there in terms of when they joined the Coop. But without further ado, want to welcome Dan Kelley to the podcast. Dan, how are you doing?

Dan Kelley [1:55]

Good. Thank you, Randy. It’s going to be interesting to be here.

Randy Wilburn [1:59]

Yes, for sure. So listen, the first thing I'd like you to do is to tell the audience just a little bit about yourself, give us your origin story, and how you got connected with the Coop.

Dan Kelley [2:08]

Well, I moved up here in, I think in ’72 and I had a storefront over in one of the old ice houses, and I was selling clothes. And that business closed, we had a break in and then I think I just decided I didn't want to have a storefront of clothing. And so there was an opportunity to manage the Coop and I've always had an interest in natural foods. So I said, well, I can do this and that's how I ended up.

Randy Wilburn [2:39]

Prior to that, were you familiar with the Coop business model?

Dan Kelley [2:44]

Somewhat. I had been a member of a food Coop in New Orleans before and had been eating natural foods for a few years. So not entirely familiar, but somewhat.

Randy Wilburn [2:59]

So you get the job as the General Manager at the Coop, what was it like back then?

Dan Kelley [3:05]

It was primitive. We were kind of flying by the seat of our pants. We had a cash drawer but no cash register. So people sometimes would come in and check themselves out. [RW – Make change]. Yes, they would make their own change. We didn't have someone behind that cash drawer all the time. I guess we had a pretty honest membership because we're still here.

Randy Wilburn [3:31]

Well, obviously they don't do that anymore. I've heard stories about the cashbox. And it's kind of legendary that because of the small-town nature of what Fayetteville was like back in the 70s and early 80s, it was just something you were able to do then.

Dan Kelley [3:49]

We would make some of our own tools. I remember Mark Blassop (?) made a scale for us out of a rod off an old engine that was a slide across of a piece of iron and balanced itself, and that's how we had the 123 and four-pound weight. It was a very primitive scale but it worked. It was verified. I don't know if the State would recognize it.

Randy Wilburn [4:17]

You think about something like that today, people would definitely give it a second look and be like, what is this?

Dan Kelley [4:22]

I'd love to have that old scale because it probably would be a great artifact now.

Randy Wilburn [4:27]

Rania mentioned in her episode about a piece of art that was created for the Coop that still exists to this day. I guess, returned to the Coop. It was lost in a move. And that piece of artwork, I believe, sits in the community room area, at the Tap Room, if I'm not mistaken. So there are some historical artifacts that are there, but it would be nice to see more like that because I think the biggest historical artifact that somebody showed me was an old Coop T-Shirt from back in the day. I think it was brown. I'm sure there may not be that many around.

Dan Kelley [5:06]

No, I haven't seen any of those. That would be a great collector space.

Randy Wilburn [5:09]

It would be. So outside of just the day-to-day where you said you had fallen into the natural food movement. It was primarily staples when you guys first opened, right? You didn't have a wide assortment of options when people would come and shop there.

Dan Kelley [5:28]

We were trying to build on that but there were a lot of obstacles. There was a food company over in Sulphur Springs that was selling natural foods, but they didn't want to sell to us because the health food stores said we don't want to buy from somebody that's supporting Coops so we couldn't get food from them. But Arrowhead Mills would sell to us. And so every once in a while their truck would come by and then sometimes we'd take a trip to Kansas City to buy food, and then we also took some trips to New Orleans to buy food. And so we would just take off. We'd let somebody else run the Coop and we take off and go buy honey and beans and molasses and a pickup truck and bring it back here. That was part of the adventure. It was part work and part adventure.

Randy Wilburn [6:20]

You have to nowadays with walking into the Coop today. You must have to marvel at how far the Coop has come throughout the years.

Dan Kelley [6:34]

Yes, and there's one story about that. The Safeway used to be where the Coop is.

Randy Wilburn [6:38]

And so there was a Safeway then a Marvin’s’ IGA and some other stuff.

Dan Kelley [6:43]

So as the manager of the Coop, we would look at the Safeway structure and say that’s a great store. And here we are, what goes around comes around, we're in that building now.

Randy Wilburn [6:56]

I don't think there are Safeways in this area at all anymore. It’s interesting that you mentioned that. I probably if I was able to go back in time and say one day, you guys are going to be in that space, you would have been like, get out of here. I don't think that would ever happen. [DK - It wasn't even on the radar].

Dan Kelley [7:14]

It wasn’t even on the radar.

Randy Wilburn [7:16]

So you were the general manager for how long do you remember? [DK - Like from two to three years]. So probably like ‘72 to ‘75 or somewhere around that.

Dan Kelley [7:24]

I left the last part of 74, like 12-74.

Randy Wilburn [7:29]

And then you moved out of state and then came back in ’88 but you kept your ties to the area. So you got to see the evolution of the Coop and its growth. Were you surprised when you came back in ‘88 and saw that it was still there and still viable?

Dan Kelley [7:46]

Well, I had been back before then. Maybe I'd come back every four or five years. And I would see it moving in different locations and getting stronger at each move. I had no idea it was going to grow like it has.

Randy Wilburn [8:01]

At the current time of recording this, we are more than 13,500 members. That's a lot. You were part of that first 500 so there's something to be said for that. And I always marvel when I meet people that have a really low number, because I'm like, you were definitely around here and you saw the benefits of this from the beginning. Do you remember the reaction of people when they would come into the Coop and it was new to them back then in ’72 – ’73? Was it more of a novelty, or was it like, people were like finally, I can get my bulk items. I can get healthy items. What was the typical reaction of a consumer that would come in and purchase there?

Dan Kelley [8:47]

Well, if you were living back to the land, which a lot of people were back then, the Coop was like your mainstay. You could buy your beans and your rice and your flour and your honey. You couldn't get it locally. If you lived out in Madison County or Newton County, there weren't any sources for that kind of food. So, we had a big support from the people outside the area. And if you were of the alternative culture, you might understand what was going on, but if you had never been exposed to this new wave of natural foods and Cooperative ownership, it might have been surprising. One thing we had which was kind of messy, we had a flour mill right by the walkway when you walked into the Coop. This was like an eight-inch really noisy Meadows mill where you would pour your wheat in and it would just grind it up into flour, but it didn't have any way to contain the excess. So as you were grinding the flour, it's also applying around that area so you're getting flour in your hair and flour in your clothes.

It was truly all-natural back then. I like that story. I've only known the Coop in two locations, the Evelyn Hills because I moved here in 2014 so I'm not an old head. I can go way back to all the locations. But Rania and several others have discussed or mentioned all of the places that the Coop has been, including in a space over there where high rollers Cyclery is right now. There are a number of locations where the Coop has been on Dixon over there where Puritan coffee is now. They've just been a number of places that the store has shown up in. So you come back in ’88 at eight and then you get a first-hand view of the evolution of the Coop. Do you remember when it moved to Evelyn Hills Plaza? [DK – Yes]. Did it become more mainstream then? In your mind when do you feel like the Coop became a little bit more mainstream? And the reason why I'm asking this is that you get a lot of people that walk into the Coop, and they don't even know that there's a membership involved. Some of them just don't understand the Coop business model. And so, we explained it to them and cashiers will walk them through that, but at some point in time there must have been an inflection point where it changed from purely just being members to people saying, hey, that place has some great bulk food items. I want to go there and get them.

Well, I think the Coop has always been known for the bulk because that was one of the things that attracted the back to the lenders and the people that they didn't want to buy a bunch of pre-packaged food because it’s a waste of resources. That was always a strong point because when you bought tea or seasonings in bulk, you can really save a lot of money. But back to your question about when we really took off. I would say the storefront on Dickson Street really gave us credibility in town because this was a prominent location, bright and clean. So that was a plus right there at the old Smokehouse location.

And it makes sense because Dickson Street is the main artery of the university. Were there a lot of students coming through the Coop back then, or maybe just a few?

I would say a few but I don't remember a lot of them. Maybe when they finished school and they settled here they would start to get in. But at that time we weren't selling any beer and we didn't have a lot of things that maybe if you were living in a dorm you wouldn't need that.

That’s true. I don't think you'd be grinding your own wheat and making hotcakes or anything like that in your dorm room. It's more like Top Ramen, bottled water, and peanut butter. Well, as I think about where the Coop is today and its evolution and growth, I marvel at the ability for it to remain relevant for so long, 50-plus years. Did you realize that it was that we had hit 50 years just recently? Was that on your radar of things where you were like, I can't believe this place is still around and it's still cranking?

I don't remember the celebration. One of the celebrations, I was called in to maybe have a little birthday cake or something but I can't remember the year. It was when we were in Evelyn Hills so that might have been 40 or 45. Well, I was getting my rebate checks regularly so I knew we were doing pretty good. I think we've always had a great manager that pushed us in the right direction and the Board of Directors too. They're also guiding so we've had some good direction.

Did you ever have the privilege of sitting on the Board?

Not this board. I was on the OCW Board which was the warehouse. I think I did run for Coop Board one time, but I was working for OCW and I think maybe some of the members thought, well, that's a conflict of interest so I didn't get elected.

So OCW is the organization that closed down right after the first of the new century. They ran into some problems I heard and some of the challenges that they had after Y2K. And they had been around for a while.

They started in ’75 and probably were open for 25 or 30 years.

That's a long time. When you go into the Coop today, what do you normally gravitate towards? I'm just curious. You don't have to give us all your shopping habits. But what do you like to put in your shopping carts when you do head over to the Coop?

Well, my favorite bread is always, although it's not always there, but if I come in on the right day, it's there and that's the dirty apron bread. I really like that bread, it makes great sandwiches. And sometimes I'll have a brew and sit out, if the weather is nice, I'll sit out on the veranda there.

That patio is amazing.

I know it. That’s what got the students there. We didn't have the student shoppers until we had a place where they can walk there. They can open their computer. They can do their homework. It's just perfect for students. That was a great idea.

It was a great idea, and certainly, we had a little bit of help with the pandemic because actually, if you remember, a lot of those students couldn't do stuff on campus. So they would come to Ozark Natural Foods to the Coop and sit down in the Tap Room area and order a coffee or, grab some sushi or something else and then sit down and hang out there and get their work done or have a class meeting or something along those lines. And you still see that to this day. So I think that's one of the great benefits of having the space that we have.

And the casual seating like hammocks and gliders and all of that, you don't find that all over town.

I don't think any of the Coops competitors have anything close to that. As a matter of fact, all of the Coops competitors are the type of stores where you basically go get what you need and leave. What is your hope for the future of the Coop?

Well, I think I'd like to see it continue to expand. Sometimes I think that the parking lot is pretty maxed out but maybe as we become more pedestrian-friendly or bicycle friendly, we can stay there a little longer. I noticed that the parking is an issue.

It is and I know that we've worked with the church across the street, and they do allow us to park and to put some people there to park and especially if we do certain types of events. We had a big event with the Roots Festival and we did a little concert on the patio and it worked out perfectly. But you're absolutely right. What a lot of people don't know and this is a tip for anybody listening. On the backside of the Coop, there is a striped and marked parking lot where you can park. There are a couple of parking spots that are uniquely set aside for generations, the chiropractic studio that's there, but that's only during their business hours. Any other time whenever that chiropractic studio is not open you can park there, and there are plenty of other parking spots. And there are a number of places where you can park your motorcycle, or like a really compact car. I'm mobile, I can get around. I don't need to be right in front of the store. I typically park in the back because for me it's easy in and easy out and you don't struggle as much because sometimes going in that parking lot when it's crowded it's a bit of a challenge to get around there. [DK - You might have to make two loops]. Exactly. And you got people going against the grain of traffic and going with it. Is there any part of the store that you've specially been impressed with? I know we have the Homestead Section. There are a lot of sections that weren't part of the original concept of the Coop as it originally started. But is there anything specifically that stands out in your mind?

We, the plant-based section. Having plant-based foods as an alternative to animal foods, I think it's a great addition. And also having locally brewed beer is a plus too.

Do you like Kombucha?

I'm not a big fan of it. Maybe I haven't been exposed to it enough.

It's good for your gut, as they say, but some people would argue that the fermentation in beer is also good.

The last time I tried it, I think, was when people were making it in their kitchen years ago and that would have been 25 years ago. They didn't have it down, I think. It wasn't that tasty.

What was once a hobby for a lot of people and something that you did do in your kitchens or backyards has now become a phenomenon. There are a number of super successful Kombucha companies out there. The beverage sector of the grocery market is huge. I mean, people like beverages. I mean, that's just what it is and the thing about the Coop is that they have a lot of healthy choices and you can't beat that. You can't beat that at all. What would you say to a young couple that has recently moved here to Northwest Arkansas and why would you encourage them to become a member of the Coop and be a part of what we're all about?

Well, I guess the number one reason is, here's a store that listens to you, that you would be a part owner, and you have a voice and what products the store carries, or maybe what kind of events could be sponsored by the store. I remember going to these environmental events up in Missouri, and ONF would send food up there. It's outside their sales area but they wanted to support the back-to-land movement, which had been going on for 40 years. So they come up as a supporter of many things. And so that that will be something I would say to them. And then I'd also say, food may seem like it's hype, but you need to watch for the sales and the specials because that's when you can stock up and save some money.

Oh, absolutely, you can. And there are always some Coop specials. You'll see those labels that are throughout the store. I encourage anyone that's considering it to take advantage of that, especially when the sales go on. I walk through the store all the time, and I see a number of things on sale, and I just keep an eye out. And when it goes on sale, I grab it and maybe grab two or three and then I don't have to worry about it for a while. You're absolutely right, there is an art to it. And for a young couple that is new in the area, just like Dan said, it is all about community and I think that the Coop represents the community very well. We have our challenges just like any other organization and no business is perfect as far as that's concerned. But the Coop is about as close as you can get to something that you know really comes and emanates from this area and is unique. It's taken a business model that is known or familiar with the world over and has allowed people in Northwest Arkansas for more than 50 years to be able to take advantage of getting good food, good products, things that you don't have to question where they came from, question the provence of those items, that everything is good for you and that you're supporting vendors and businesses that are trying to do the right thing with the products that they create and sell.

I agree. Back in the day, we didn't have very many local suppliers. And so not like the Coop has now. The Coop has a wide variety of farmers to buy from. It wasn't like that.

It has changed considerably. And even though, like every business, we are impacted by the supply chain. One of the benefits of our supply chain at the Coop is that it leans to the locals. So we're getting it from local farmers and people that we can drive out to and pick up those items and bring them back to the Coop and then sell them to you at a fair price to ensure that you're getting the best of the best that this land has to offer, especially within the radius and confines of what we know as Northwest Arkansas. Is that a fair assessment, you think?

I think you're right on.

Okay, perfect. Well, is there anything else, Dan, that you'd like to share with our podcast listening audience about the Coop before we close out this episode?

Well, I'm reminded of a little poster that was behind the cash drawer of the Coop. And if I can remember correctly, it said something about this isn't a Safeway, this is a learning experience.

So you took that to heart as you looked at that all the time and were constantly reminded.

Well, if somebody was complaining I’d point to that.

I love that. That's a really good one. It is a learning experience and, Dan, I would say that even in 2022, it continues to be a learning experience. A lot of people don't fully understand or grasp the Coop business model and the nuances that make a business like Ozark Natural Foods, the Coop operate. Because a lot of times people think that the Coop is a non-profit, but it's not. It's actually a for-profit business operated with and run by the governing rules of a Cooperative business. And the whole idea behind that is simply that everybody that is a member of the Coop has a piece of the pie. And you know you can't say that when you walk into other places. I'm a member of Prime with Amazon, but I don't own Whole Foods. Maybe every now and then and heaven forbid anybody catch me in there, I do go into Natural Grocers from time to time just for one or two items but I'm not a member of Natural Grocers. I own stock in Walmart but that's the extent of it so that's just the way that it is. I'm just another person at the Coop, you really are more than just a number, you are a member of the organization.

You have a voice and a vote and people are interested in what's going on and what you'd like to see.

Well, Dan Kelly, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to come down and sit down with us and just chat and tell us a little bit about what it was like back in the day and the simple fact that one of the earliest general managers at the Coop, that you're still around and you're shopping at the Coop on a regular basis. I think that's a great story in and of itself. So thank you so much for being with us today on the Coop podcast. We really, really appreciate it.

Thank you, Randy. Enjoy talking to you.

Well folks, we appreciate you taking the time to learn more about Ozark Natural Foods, the Coop. This podcast was developed to highlight a community created more than 50 years ago with a focus on the love of food that is good for us and our planet. We have plenty of stories to tell so stay tuned for more. I'm your host Randy Wilburn and we'll see you back here soon.

Thanks for tuning in to the Ozark Natural Foods, the Coop Podcast. Whether you are new to the area and looking for a healthy grocery store, or you've been here for ages but didn't know the whole story about Ozark Natural Foods, the Coop, this podcast is one of the best places to start. For more information about the Coop, please visit our website at onf.coop to learn more. That's onf.coop@ozarknaturalfoods the Coop, we mean it when we say keeping it local since 1971.