Thank you, John!

John Lacaria is an avid cyclist, proud dad and loving husband, board game player, and a teller of terrible “dad jokes”. Up until recently, he was also the General Manager of Eastside Food Co-op.

John dedicated the last 13 years to making Eastside what it is today: a successful, bright, and bustling hub where the Northeast Minneapolis community can gather, nourish, learn, and grow.

John Lacaria in front of the mural on the north side
of the Eastside Food Coop building.

During his time as General Manager, John oversaw a huge period of growth and change. Sales grew by 27% and Eastside welcomed close to 4,000 new owners during his 7-year tenure. He successfully participated in collective bargaining and developed a positive relationship with the union after staff voted to unionize in 2017. He led the co-op through the global pandemic and the civil unrest of 2020 with compassion and care for both staff and customers . Through it all, John provided steady, dedicated leadership, an open door and listening ear, and plenty of laughs.

John left Eastside better than he found it and we wish him all the best on his next adventure! Thank you, John, and until we see you again, a few for the road:

What do vegan zombies eat? Graaaaains

What did one ocean say to the other? Nothing, they just waved.

I bought the world’s worst thesaurus yesterday. Not only is it terrible, it’s terrible.