I’ve been having fun with Just Food Co-op lately on LoGroNo (here and here) and so, since I’m a long-time member, I thought I’d try to redeem myself for these and other sins for which I’m sure to commit in the future.
The Co-op is in the middle of a campaign for new members, as you can see from these store photos I took earlier this week of the new member-o-meter (currently at 40, aiming for 50), the ownership banner, and the cool photo posters hanging from the ceiling:
Left: Amanda Pettis with her son, Avery
Left center: Henry Emmons and Jane Blockus
Center: Loula and Brad Valek, B&L Pizza
Right center: Rae and Leo Rusnak, L&R Poultry & Produce
Right: Staff members of Just Food Co-op
Left: see their Membership page for details on and benefits of becoming an owner
Center: see their Roots to Grow capital campaign brochure (PDF)
Right: see the Dec/Jan issue of The Compost (PDF) in which General Manager Melanie Reid has this article:
Invest in Something You Can Feel Good About: A call to action from your General Manager
With the economic situation such as it is, now may not be a time that you are thinking about investing in anything but an extra mattress; however, your Co-op has an investment opportunity that you really should consider. I know at my house we are considering the impact of the economy on our daily lives and our future. We have reduced the number of trips we make to the Twin Cities, spent more time preserving the harvest from our garden this fall, don’t buy as much ice cream as we used to, and are making a concerted effort to keep the furnace at 64 degrees. My guess is that your family is having similar conversations and probably making similar adjustments to your lifestyle. Did you know that we have also been having these conversations at the Co-op?
Not unlike your family, your Co-op is feeling the affects of the downturn in our economy as well. Not a day goes by that the members of our leadership team don’t discuss ways that we can reduce our spending, boost our sales and balance our budget. I know that typically when you talk about the Co-op with friends, neighbors, board members, staff members, even me… the conversation usually centers on what’s going well. What we usually don’t bring up is all the debt that the Co-op has incurred and the lack of profit in the four years that we have been doing business.
While we are coming up with ideas (adjusting our budget, reducing our labor costs, revising our capital spending allowance for the year, etc.) and implementing them daily, there is no simple solution. The one thing we know for sure is that we are all in this together. Our Coop came to be due to a community effort, and I am convinced that our Co-op will weather the current economic storm with the participation of all of our owners. After many brainstorming sessions, your Co-op leaders have come up with a host of ways for you to help us through. Remember that this is your Co-op, and your Co-op needs your help right now.
