Michigan's quiet revolution: worker-owned co-ops are building a solidarity economy, putting people over profit and fostering democratic workplaces. These co-ops advance equity, community wealth, and transform local businesses, offering a path to a more equitable future.
A worker-owned cooperative is a business that is owned and democratically governed by its employees. That means the workers share in decisions and profits, each having an equal vote in how the company operates. In a co-op, there’s no outside boss or distant shareholders calling the shots – the people who do the work are the owners. Co-ops exist in all kinds of industries, from retail and manufacturing to tech and healthcare.
The solidarity economy is a broad term for economic activities built on solidarity, cooperation, and community benefit, rather than pure profit. In a nutshell, it’s about “building and sharing power and wealth for all” instead of extracting it for a few.
Worker-owned and community-owned co-ops are popping up in cities and towns across Michigan, guided by a vision of a fairer, more inclusive economy. Here are just a few examples of current and emerging co-ops making an impact:
Detroit Area: In the heart of Detroit’s North End, the much-anticipated Detroit People’s Food Co-op just opened its doors – a Black-led, community-owned grocery store years in the making. Over a decade, thousands of Detroiters (about 3,800) bought in as member-owners to turn this co-op grocery into reality. It’s not worker-owned (the owners are community members), but it shows the power of cooperative organizing to tackle food insecurity and build local wealth.
Detroit is also home to an array of true worker-owned co-ops. For example, Pingree Detroit is a worker-owned collective of artisans handcrafting footwear and accessories from upcycled auto industry leather. On a neighborhood urban farm, the Black Bottom Garden Center co-op, founded and owned by Black women, sells plants, seeds, and compost while beautifying the community.
Hamtramck's Book Suey is a cooperatively run bookstore providing a welcoming space for local readers and writers. These are just a few of the dozens of co-ops and grassroots collectives in the Detroit area, ranging from urban farming co-ops like City Commons (a network of nine Detroit farms serving local families) to construction crews, thrift shops, child care collectives, and more.
Ann Arbor & Ypsilanti: The college town region has long been friendly to co-ops, local students and residents support cooperative housing and the decades-old People’s Food Co-op grocery.
Grand Rapids & West Michigan: In West Michigan, the Grand Rapids Food Co-op Initiative is a grassroots effort to establish a community-owned grocery store in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Launched in 2015, the co-op aims to provide equitable access to fresh, affordable food, support local farmers, and keep grocery dollars within the community.
The co-op offers a one-time household ownership share of $250, with a reduced $25 option for low-income households, and scholarships are available for those in need. Once operational, the store will be open to all shoppers, with owners receiving special discounts and a voice in major decisions. Community members can support the initiative by becoming owners, volunteering, or participating in events.
Michigan residents curious about cooperatives don’t have to sit on the sidelines there are plenty of practical ways to plug into this movement:
Shop and support co-ops: Choose co-op businesses when you can. For example, if you’re in Detroit, you can buy your next houseplant from the Black Bottom Garden Center or pick up a pair of handcrafted shoes from Pingree Detroit. Bookworms can visit cooperative bookstores like Book Suey in Hamtramck or 27th Letter Books in Detroit, where ownership is shared by those who run it. Food co-ops such as the Detroit People’s Food Co-op and Ann Arbor’s People’s Food Co-op welcome anyone to shop or become a member-owner.
Find co-ops near you: Explore directories and networks to discover cooperatives in your area. The Cooperative Economic Network of Detroit (CEND) maintains a public directory of Detroit-area co-ops and collectives, from urban farms to cleaning services. Nationally, the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives offers an online directory of worker co-ops across the country.
Join events and learn more: Keep an eye out for local events like workshops, co-op tours, and conferences. For instance, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor recently hosted a “Building Our Solidarity Economy” conference to connect students, activists, and entrepreneurs around cooperative economics and community wealth building. Such events are great for learning skills (from fundraising to democratic decision-making) and networking with like-minded folks.
You can also follow organizations like Detroit Community Wealth Fund and C2BE on social media for announcements about meetups or training sessions on starting co-ops. Education is key – the more people understand how co-ops work, the more our solidarity economy can grow.
Get involved or start something new: If you’re inspired to roll up your sleeves, consider becoming a co-op member or even starting a cooperative project. Many co-ops allow community members to invest a small equity share or volunteer. If you work at a small business and wonder about employee ownership, Michigan has support organizations ready to help. The Center for Community-Based Enterprise (C2BE) in Detroit specializes in helping owners convert or launch companies as worker-owned businesses, as part of its mission to “build community wealth” and keep local jobs by selling businesses to their employees.
Michigan’s worker-owned cooperatives are planting the seeds of a solidarity economy – one where ordinary people have a direct say and stake in the wealth they create. It’s an economy of neighbors building a future together, one co-op at a time. And that’s something every Michigander can be a part of, starting today.
