Tallgrass Grocery Co-op opened its doors Sept. 15 to provide Des Moines with healthful, local food at affordable prices.

The store sells local produce, fresh bread, milk, cheese and meats. It also partners with larger companies to offer tea, coffee and spices, as well as healthful snack options.

Unlike many businesses, cooperatives do not have a single owner; anyone who becomes a member has equal ownership rights and an equal vote in decision-making.

Christine McNunn, the co-op’s interim general manager, said it took about a year and a half to get the store up and running at 116 Fifth St. in Valley Junction. The board of governors had to write bylaws and construction took place this past summer.

McNunn said the board recruited members during a June informational meeting with an original goal of having 200 founding members. Those behind the co-op were pleasantly surprised when 500 people joined, and now it has about 730 members, McNunn said.

McNunn attributed some of the unexpected popularity to starting the store at the right time, tapping into the growing popularity of buying local food.

During its first week, Tallgrass Grocery worked with about 50 vendors to supply the store. McNunn expects this number to change week-to-week and season-to-season.

“I suspect it will grow as people become more aware of what we’re doing,” she said, adding that there are generally more vendors in the summer than in the fall or winter.

And because it’s still new, much remains uncertain, including store hours. Currently, Tallgrass Grocery is closed on Monday; open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

“We need to get a handle on when people will come to the store,” McNunn said.

McNunn said pricing, which is a balancing act, will also be evolving and changing.

“We want to be fair to farmers, but the food has to be at a price where consumers will buy it,” she said.

Once Tallgrass Grocery gets the initial kinks worked out, it hopes to add more products and start accepting food stamps.