“The more people who have a financial interest in it, the more people are likely to shop and support it,” she said.

The committee worked its way through some disagreements — like the one about whether to keep the decorative pressed-tin ceiling, or install an energy-efficient, lower-hanging drop ceiling.

“The guys on the building committee wanted to do a drop ceiling, and the ladies on the committee, we fought really hard,” Schwenninger said. The women prevailed.

A study showed that the Elwood area had about $1.8 million in annual grocery sales, and the committee figured the store could be successful if it could capture a third of that, about $600,000 a year — which it has, Schwenninger said. (By comparison, the average Hy-Vee supermarket does about $38 million in sales a year.)

You don’t have to be a shareholder or a member to shop at the store. People who spring for a $25 membership get special deals, such as a discount on steaks.

Schwenninger said she buys nearly all her groceries at the store, and finds it frustrating that there are still some people in town who never shop there.