Partner Spotlight - Outpost Natural Food Cooperative
We have awesome partners who help support our mission.
We wanted to shine the spotlight this month on locally owned cooperative, Outpost Natural Foods!
Get to know the folks at Outpost and find out one song they can't stop listening to:
Lisa Malmarowski, Director of Brand & Store Development at Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative shares her love of Milwaukee and how the coop got started.
1. What's one song you can't stop listening to?
"Tightrope" by Milwaukee ex-pats Eric & Magill
2. What are you most passionate about in regards to what is happening in our community and what is Outpost doing for the community?
We're really excited to see growth in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood around community and good food. We currently sponsor an event space in Walnut Way's Innovation & Wellness Commons on 17th and North Ave. right next door to The Juice Kitchen. As part of that, Venice Williams has coordinated a series of vibrant makers markets twice a week in the space. These markets provide not only engaging community events, but have offered start-up businesses a space to get their unique products out in front of local shoppers. The vibrancy, welcoming atmosphere, and sense of fun make these pop-up events unlike any other in our city.
3. How did Outpost get started and what is in store for 2018?
In 1970 a small group of folks on Milwaukee's East Side were fed up with what local grocery stores were offering - a lot of processed food - and decided that forming a cooperative would not only "stick it to the man," but ensure they would have a locally-owned and controlled neighborhood store that was full of wholesome, all-natural foods and ecologically sound products. We're still true to our roots today, even though we're bigger than that one small storefront in Riverwest. As for 2018, we are continuing our commitment to authentically local products by building relationships with new vendors and continuing our work with Local First Milwaukee - a buy local organization that we helped found more than 10 years ago.
We are also adding some new programs to our prepared foods departments, working on upgrading and remodeling our Tosa store, and planning for the return of our popular Ride 45 Bike Ride - updated this year with a couple more miles, since we have a couple more miles on us.
Why do you choose to support 88Nine?
We think co-ops and community-owned radio are natural partners since both of us help keep Milwaukee unique, hip, and interesting. In a world full of commercial media, it's up to our community to support local - it's important to us we keep that circle strong. Plus, who doesn't want to stand in star shine of one of the best radio stations in the country?!
