For the past year the Friendly City Co-Op has been providing fresh foods to the Harrisonburg area.

On Saturday, they held a little birthday celebration for having the doors open.

About a year ago, Taylor Evans, and some of his friends at James Madison University, decided to pay the $200 fee to become members of the co-op.

"We want to see it succeed," he said. "This sort of model doesn't exist in a lot of big box stores. You don't really know the people who own it, you don't have an input on what sort of gets put on the shelves. And, here, that's totally different."

That sort of mentality has been the mission of the co-op's organizers since the plan started nearly six years ago.

"There was a group of people who saw a need for a local grocery store," said the co-op's marketing and branding coordinator Ariana Whit.

"Locally owned, run by the community, with local farmers. We have a great farmer's market, but we needed something in the downtown area that people could walk to and have something all day everyday for all their needs."

Whit says the co-op is still eager to expand, despite being settled after a great first year.

"We just want to keep improving, keep building up. As people become members it really helps us because their shares help build equity so we can continue to grow and do new things. Ultimately, it's a great cycle. With what they do, it's going to help them in return.

The most loyal customers, ones like Evans, are hoping the next year at the co-op is as great as the first.

"I just hope that they keep doing as well as they're doing," he said.

"It's good to see more people, like on days like this, come in. When they hold events and workshops seeing the groups of people that come in is really, really cool. So I hope that they stay successful."

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