With the exception of a few Hispanic grocers, liquor stores, Village Pantrys and gas stations, the Near Eastside’s cupboard is bare.

“Ever since the Kroger (near Woodruff Place) closed, there’s been a void of grocery options for people there on the other side of the Downtown gateway,” Julie L. Rhoades said. So Rhoades, her husband Kyle Hendrix and their friends started discussing what to do about it.

“At the same time there were other folks talking informally about these same challenges,” she said. So in 2007, a meeting was called, and this small group of concerned neighbors became a steering committee, studying food cooperatives like Bloomingfoods in Bloomington and Lost River in Paoli. That steering committee became a board of directors, and by November 2008, the Indy Food Co-op was on its way to reaching its goal of 150 lifetime members.

Unlike most grocery stores, cooperatives are not-for-profit entities. They’re run by a board of directors who hire a general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations. Co-ops are open to the general public, but members receive special discounts, access to private events and voting rights in board member elections.

The Indy Food Co-op’s financial package is not complete, but the group has office space in the John H. Boner Community Center at 2236 E. 10th St. They’re also working to purchase a commercial building just blocks west of there. The co-op plans to open its doors in the summer.

Part of the group’s mission includes serving low-income residents on the Eastside. The board of directors is already working on community education efforts, fundraising for co-op member scholarships and beginning the process of being able to accept food stamps and WIC vouchers.

“If we can’t get those people in the door to begin with, it’s a lost cause,” Rhoades said.

For more information, visit www.indyfoodcoop.org