Riverwest Co-op Is Closing

Riverwest Co-op. Photo taken June 18, 2022 by Sophie Bolich

After 24 years as a neighborhood staple, Riverwest Co-op & Cafe will close at the end of the month. It’s the latest—and final—chapter in the business’s long struggle to regain stability after the onset of COVID-19.

Declining sales, mounting debts, board vacancies and staff turnover have plagued the co-op for the past five years, with $70,000 in crowdfunding and a $150,000 loan from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation providing only temporary relief. By mid-2025, the co-op had already posted an $81,000 net loss, surpassing the $74,000 annual projection, and missed its August revenue target by $20,000.

The downward spiral culminated in the board’s unanimous decision to close, announced in late August. A special membership meeting followed on Sept. 10, drawing the full board and roughly 60 members to discuss next steps.

The closure, effective Sept. 21, will leave behind a legacy of connection, collaboration and collective perseverance, according to board member Wendy Mesich.

“For the last 24 years, the Riverwest Co-op has been a place where anyone and everyone could find good food and great community,” she said. “It has served as an organizing hub for block parties, protests, spaghetti dinners and hundreds and hundreds more community events.”

Even without a physical presence, Mesich is confident the co-op will have lasting influence in the neighborhood. “The cooperative spirit that has animated and has been its foundation for over two decades will continue to live on and take new forms dedicated to nourishing a community where all people are welcomed and belong at the table.”

Opened in 2001 at 733 E. Clarke St., Riverwest Co-op has long been a destination for organic and local goods, stocking products from The Simple Soyman, El Rey, Rocket Baby Bakery, Purple Door Ice Cream and “so, so many more,” said Mesich, who expressed gratitude for “the many local vendors that made this place possible.”

Adjacent to its retail space, the business features a vegetarian cafe serving breakfast, burgers, sandwiches and soup, along with coffee, tea and smoothies. The cafe has returned to normal operation following an extended closure from July 2022 to September 2023, a decision meant to conserve resources amid the co-op’s ongoing financial challenges.

Additional recovery efforts from the co-op included multiple warnings of imminent closure and calls-to-action aimed at boosting membership and volunteer power. A 2023 market study weighed selling beer and wine, conventional groceries or meat products.

The board explored options for bankruptcy, but said a lawyer advised against it. Board members also considered transferring the business to a new entity, ultimately deciding to shut down in order to “maximize the value of its assets, therefore ensuring vendors, workers and debts can be paid to the greatest degree.”

Today, the co-op has just under 2,000 members, who accounted for 71% of sales in August. The board plans to hold another special membership meeting in the near future to officially dissolve the co-op.

The business still plans to celebrate its 24th anniversary, with details to be announced in member emails and on social media. Meanwhile, volunteers are still needed to help clean, organize and plan for the future. Those interested in volunteering should email volunteer@riverwestcoop.org

Since announcing its closing date, the co-op and cafe have seen a surge in customers, Mesich said, noting that the trend is expected to continue through Sunday. Until then, the business will remain open to the public during regular hours. Members can also place special orders in-person to “stock up” on favorites before the closure.

The co-op’s grocery store is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The cafe is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Existing members must be signed in to see the interactive map. Sign in.