Any person who held an interest in, or was a member of, a cooperative wholesale grocery company on May 1, 1947, which cooperative holds a distilled spirits wholesaler’s license, may hold and renew his off-sale general license and may acquire an off-sale general license or licenses for bona fide retail grocery store or stores. Any person who is admitted to membership, or acquires an interest, in such a cooperative after May 1, 1947, may hold or acquire off-sale general licenses and shall operate a bona fide retail grocery store at each location at which he holds or acquires an off-sale general license. Any cooperative wholesale grocery company which held a distilled spirits wholesale license on May 1, 1937, may hold and renew the license, notwithstanding its members or some of them hold off-sale general licenses pursuant to this section.