As a co-op, our business is controlled by our owners, making us independent, autonomous, and democratic. Each owner gets to vote for our board of directors, which in turn hires and oversees a general manager. From this standpoint, the co-op is run like a normal business, as it’s very difficult to operate a successful retail operation as a “collective,” with all owners being the boss. But owners vote for the board members who best reflect their values and vision for the store, and who then represent the members in the overall governance.


We are pleased to announce the results of the 2025 Lakewinds Board of Directors election! Congratulations to our three incumbents, Karin Broecker SmithJack Huerter, and Pam Werley, who all have been reelected, and we extend a warm welcome to our newest board member, Denise Holtz.