Joseph Hardin attended the U of I between 1965 and 1970. He was active in the counterculture and alternative scenes on campus and helped found the Walrus underground newspaper. Hardin was also active in the Students for Free Speech, and he attended the national Democratic Convention in 1968. Hardin describes his work with Earthworks Garage and the offshoot of underground newspapers that appeared after the founding of the Walrus.
Victor Fein came to the University of Illinois after serving in the US military. Eventually, Victor became a co-founder of a local co-op called Earthworks. The co-op started out as a small art studio selling handmade wood and leather good. It eventually grew to include a clothing shop, pet store, and grocery. Victor and his wife also opened a restaurant, Metamorphosis, out of the co-op.
