<div>Sep. 22—While over 13,000 households have invested in Common Ground Food Co-op since its inception 50 years ago, marketing manager Sarah Buckman said the co-op's origins were modest.A group of local volunteers formed a buyer's club in 1974 so they could collectively purchase bulk orders of foods they couldn't find in the Champaign-Urbana community — items like tofu and brown rice that they had to travel to Wisconsin to find.In 1984, the co-op set up shop in a basement room at the Illinois Disciples Foundation building in Champaign, Common Ground officials said."It was such a small place that they didn't have delivery or dock doors, so they would use the window to funnel all of the products through," Buckman said.In 2008, the co-op took a significant step, moving out of the basement and into Lincoln Square Mall, where it is located to this day.Buckman said they expanded the store in 2012 with a community classroom, administrative offices, and a prepared foods bakery and kitchen."The co-op has changed so much," she said. "In 1974, it was just an amazing buyer's club, all volunteer-run. And then it started to gradually grow its ownership as an official food co-op in the basement, all volunteer-run, super community-oriented. And we still are very community-oriented but in a different way."Common Ground now employs over 65 staff, and its community outreach efforts include cooking classes, giving to charity, efforts to reduce food waste and increase food access, and buying food from local farmers.The co-op is throwing a 50th anniversary celebration at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 11.More information and a link to RSVP is available at . There is no cost for admission but registration is required.Members of the community are invited to share photos and memories from the co-op's history as part of the celebration, and these can be sent to ."We couldn't have done this without our community," Buckman said. "We wouldn't be the same."Three local properties of note are still on the market after marking down their asking prices.— David Kraft of Kraft Properties reduced the asking price on the Art Theater, located at 126-128 W. Church St. in Champaign, to $870,000 in October 2023. It was originally listed for nearly $2 million in 2020 and later lowered to $998,000 before reaching its current price point. Kraft told The News-Gazette he continues to speak with interested parties, and incentives available from the city of Champaign have "created renewed interest in the theater space."</div>

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It's Your Business | Common Ground still growing strong at 50 years

Sep. 22—While over 13,000 households have invested in Common Ground Food Co-op since its inception 50 years ago, marketing manager Sarah Buckman said the co-op's origins were modest. A group of local volunteers formed a buyer's club in 1974 so they could collectively purchase bulk orders of foods they...