The Cook County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an assault and stabbing in the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op grocery store in downtown Grand Marais. First responders arrived on the scene within minutes, providing emergency medical aid to the victim. The victim was transported by ambulance to the North Shore Health hospital. According to Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen, the victim is expected to recover from his injuries.
The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Donovan Vondall of Grand Portage, fled the store on foot immediately following the assault. However, using detailed descriptions from bystanders and Co-op staff, deputies located and apprehended Vondall at approximately 6:38 p.m. that evening. Eliasen confirmed that the attacker and his victim appear to have no previous connection.
Vondall, who is an employee of the Co-op, is currently being held at the Cook County Law Enforcement Center. While he has not been formally charged as of Monday morning, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed the case remains under active investigation.
In an email statement to members, General Manager Ahren Grunow expressed shock over the incident, noting that the store would remain closed through Sunday to allow staff time to process the event. It was expected to reopen to the public at noon on Monday, December 29.
Grunow also wrote, “Please know that the safety and well-being of our staff, owners, and customers is our highest priority, and we take that responsibility seriously. We are working closely with the appropriate parties and are taking steps to reinforce safety in the store.”
The Cook County Whole Foods Co-op in Grand Marais has a classic “back-to-the-land” origin story and has evolved into a vital hub for the North Shore community. Some people may confuse it with the “Whole Foods” chain or the larger Duluth co-op, but it is entirely independent and community-owned.
The co-op began informally in the 1960s at a homestead called “Castle Yonder” in the Good Harbor Hill neighborhood. Folks would coordinate bulk food orders from the Twin Cities (beans, rice, peanut butter) and store them in a neighbor’s basement. When the original hosts moved, the market officially incorporated as a Minnesota cooperative in June 1976. It opened its first storefront in a small cabin on the east end of Grand Marais with only 60 members.
Today, it has over 3,000 members with a modern storefront located at 20 East First Street in downtown Grand Marais. It remains a “everyone is welcome” store, meaning you don’t have to be a member to shop there. It serves as the primary grocery source for organic and local goods in the county. The co-op is a major employer in Cook County, with over 40 staff members.
