A small business that lasts four decades is worth celebrating. When a community cooperative makes it to a 40th anniversary, it is especially surprising. Holding a co-op together that long demands a lot of give and take among friends.

Edward Strattons Tuesday story about the Astoria Co-op Grocerys milestone sketched the co-ops arc from origins in Peter Huhtalas house to a sharp growth curve culminating in 2014 sales of $2.5 million. The co-op boards hiring of manager Matt Stanley some five years ago was a pivotal moment. Like any smart enterprise, the co-op succeeded by enlarging its base of experience and knowledge.

Beyond its financial solvency, the co-op is an important element in Astorias cultural mix. Like our remarkable array of restaurants and art galleries, one does not expect to find a cooperative grocery of this level of professionalism in a town of 10,000. The co-op also resides at the junction of a remarkable array of small farms that span a region from Nehalem to Naselle to Puget Island.

Growing concern about the food stream is a large factor in the Astoria Co-ops growth. As noted in Edward Strattons report, mainstream groceries such as Safeway also have responded to consumer demand with larger organic offerings.

The founders of the Astoria Co-op did not start their venture to become an economic magnet, but in its longevity and growth, the grocery has become an asset that makes this place more attractive. That is no small thing in an era when there is competition for the kinds of professionals who can live anywhere, by virtue of the Internet.