Cairo grocery store opens, ending seven-year absence for city

State and local officials were on hand with local shoppers in Cairo on Friday to celebrate the grand opening of Rise Community grocery store, the first to operate in Cairo in seven years.

Cairo's last grocery store closed its doors in December of 2015 after being in business for 70 years, forcing residents to travel over 30 minutes away to get food.

In 2022, a group of townspeople consulted with the University of Illinois and Western Illinois University to come up with the framework and policies of the co-op system, in which Cairo residents hold ownership.

Residents can become lifetime members of the co-op for $50, or become preferred stock shareholders for $500. After that they'll be able to get in-store discounts, plus vote at co-op meetings where board members are elected.

At the end of the year, if the co-op has extra funds left over, they are returned to members and stockholders who shopped in the store.


Click here for more information about the store and membership.



Photo from video report by WFCN