Members of Wintergreen Natural Foods on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the doors open to their store.

The oldest food store in Albert Lea, Wintergreen started in the 1970s as a cooperative of about 60 volunteers with a focus on natural and organic foods.

The specialty store, at 1442 W. Main St., now sells everything from baking supplies to nuts, fruits, chicken and eggs, to name a few. It sells both bulk and packaged products.

Manager Maren Ring said about 65 people attended the cooperative’s annual meeting at United Methodist Church, and several new people signed up for memberships that evening.

“It was very positive — a lot of energy, with a lot of young people wanting to get involved,” Ring said.

She said the members formed a task force with committees to focus on getting the word out about the store and developing a Facebook page. The organization collected more than $1,000 in donations that evening, and she thanked the members and the community for their support.

“I just can’t thank them enough for this show of support and love for their co-op,” Ring said. “We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for the overwhelming support and concern to keep the place going.”

Sara Aeikens, one of the founding members, said Wintergreen began as a natural food store in her home at 205 N. Ermina.

The cooperative at one point moved to a basement space on the corner of Broadway and Clark Street and then moved to its present location near the Albert Lea Seed House in 1976 after Seed House owner George Ehrhardt showed interest in relocating the cooperative to a building on the property.

Aeikens said memberships at first were sold for $100 to build up capital, and many people volunteered their time and talents, transported food, packaged food and spread information about the store by word of mouth.

She said the store’s name was selected by herself and Colleen Higgins and she thinks it adequately reflects its name as the oldest grocery store in the city. She hopes it inspires others throughout all seasons to survive in all kinds of situations.

When the cooperative began, there was just beginning to be an interest in promoting natural and organic foods across the country.

Ring said she is proud the store was a part of that movement.

Annual membership fees are now $10. Members and nonmembers alike are welcome to shop at the store.

In addition to natural and organic products, the store sells supplements, personal care items and household products.