Board president Sarah Walz and Scott Koepke of New Pioneer Co-op's Soilmates, center, celebrate the opening of the new Cedar Rapids store after a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Board president Sarah Walz and Scott Koepke of New Pioneer Co-op’s Soilmates, center, celebrate the opening of the new Cedar Rapids store after a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2014. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

CEDAR RAPIDS – New Pioneer Food Co-op opened its new store to an ecstatic group of supporters this morning in Cedar Rapids.

“I’ve been waiting for this for 10 long years,” said Mollie Schlue, who  joined the co-op 25 years ago while living in Iowa City and moved to Cedar Rapids 10 years ago. “I couldn’t be any more excited about it.”

Crowds rush through the doors of New Pioneer Food Co-op on opening day. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Crowds rush through the doors of New Pioneer Food Co-op on opening day. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Schlue, among the first through the doors on the store’s opening day in the new Cedar Rapids site at 3338 Center Point Rd. NE, said she came in for four items, but left with three bags of food.

Shoppers found free-range organic chicken, local and organic fresh vegetables, sustainably harvested fish, cheese, gluten-free foods, house-baked goods and a multitude of other products.

Beginning Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014, store hours will be 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Find more news on New Pi’s website: www.newpi.coop

See some of the sights from opening day, below, and read the full story in the next edition of the Corridor Business Journal. (Photos © Cindy Hadish/Homegrown Iowan and Corridor Business Journal)

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