In 1976, the late Ann Tarrier organized a meeting with a few Bexley friends to discuss starting a cooperative grocery in the community. All shared the same interest: provide natural foods for their families.

The following year, the concept became reality. Seven founding members -- Tarrier, Alice Boden, Sue Frederick, Martha Markstein, Jinnie Williard, and Marcia and Roland Miller -- met in Williard’s garage and ordered dry goods from catalogs and produce from wholesale markets on Fifth Avenue in Columbus.

Today, a popular storefront at 508 N. Cassady Avenue in Bexley -- the Bexley Natural Market, A Cooperative Grocery -- celebrates its 25th anniversary. A street fair on site to commemorate the occasion is set for Sept. 29, from I to 6 p.m.

When they held meetings every other week, members moved bikes out of the garage. There were lots of them because Williard had nine children, Markstein said. The seven founders had a total of 27 children.

It soon became apparent that the nonprofit organization could use a storefront. In 1977, a beauty parlor at the Cassady location became available. The small area was in the rear of a building that contained a barbershop and a pharmacy.

In 1978, the barbershop left and the co-op took over the space. It increased in size eight years ago when it took over the area vacated by the pharmacy.

The co-op quickly grew to several hundred members, Its line of natural products also immediately grew to include books, and a variety of herbs and vitamins. Its biggest change in product line occurred about eight years ago with the switch to organically grown foods.

"We wanted to remain as pure as we could," Markstein said.

What has not changed is the co-op goal: providing food of the highest possible nutritional quality to the community at the lowest possible cost. In the past few years, the store has added a farmers market on Wednesdays. It is maintained by local growers.

Anyone can shop at the co-op. Members get a discount on purchases and volunteers get a deeper discount.

Markstein is as enthusiastic about it as she was 25 years ago.

"While everyone is so busy today, there is always the importance of eating well and maintaining good health," she said. "We should take time to search out good natural food. I feel strongly that if people value a neighborhood rnarket, they should shop here."

The store’s general manager since 1999, Bexley resident Annerose Schaffrin came to the U.S. in 1990 with her family. "This was a perfect match for me, because I wanted to feel close to the earth’s lifestyle," she said.

According to Schaffrin, founding members agreed that the co-op should dissolve when knowledge and interest in natural foods became widespread and when the staples of a natural diet would become readily available to everyone.

As supermarkets have established natural food sections and large natural food chains have spread all over the country, including Columbus, Schaffrin said that members now feel it would be a loss the community if the store did close. She said that the co-op is in no danger of doing that.

Because of all the co-ops in the country, they contribute to natural foods being so popular," she said. "We believe that co-ops are still very much needed, and that the Bexley Natural Market plays an important role in our community and economy. We focus on the well-being of our customers, members and community, and are heavily involved in our community's education."

The co-op has taken part in Wellness Days at DeVry Institute and at Bexley Middle School. The store has booths at city events, such as Summerfest. It also had a float in the Bexley parade, during which it handed out organic dog biscuits.

Bexley resident Sally Larrimer, a natural food enthusiast, said the Bexley Natural Market offers the convenience, cost and assistance that you won’t find in a large supermarket.

The street fair is intended to provide fun for the community through music, food, crafts and children’s activities. Health and wellness information will be offered through lectures and booths that will focus on the environment, farming and ways to act more creatively within the environment.

Participant Marilyn Joyner, a holistic nurse, will discuss alternative approaches to health, including therapeutic touch, raiki and kinesiology.