What is the Monadnock Community Market?
The Monadnock Community Market is a food cooperative (a cooperatively owned food store) that will provide local, natural, and healthy food for the Monadnock Region and serve as a community gathering place, offering community education around food issues.
Where will the MCM Co-op market be located?
In downtown Keene! We plan to open a 13,000 sq. ft. fully stocked food store in the Railroad Square site.
When will it open?
We plan to open in late 2012 or early 2013. With your help we can stay on that timetable!
Why should I join the Co-op now?
As a cooperatively owned business, we need YOU to be able to open the doors: our co-op (and all Co-ops) rely on member investments to provide the necessary funds to open our store. Be one of the founding member-owners to help open the business in 2012. We open when you join (when we have 1,000 member-owners).
How do I join the Co-op? Membership in the Monadnock Community Market Co-op is a one-time investment (not an annual fee!) of $200. When you become a member of the Monadnock Community Market Co-op, you also become an owner of the store. With one membership, your whole family (up to 3 household members) will receive Membership Cards and benefits. Join Now!
What are the benefits of membership in the MCM Co-op? The real value to co-op membership is the co-op store that we will own together (that would not exist without us!) that will support the local farmers in our region by offering a year-round, stable market and create a gathering place where residents of the Monadnock Region can get local, healthy food all year. Also, the Co-op’s profit will be returned to member-owners in proportion to the amount of business each member conducts with the cooperative. Cooperatives keep money, jobs and profits in the local community.
Can my business join? Yes! Many business owners in our community have already joined the MCM Co-op. To join as a business, please indicate your name where it says Member-owner on the MCM Membership form (we need a person’s name because a business entity cannot vote) and then write your business name next to your name.
How was the site location chosen? Our founding Co-op Committee–and then Board of Directors–spent over 2 years reviewing potential site locations in Keene. In 2009, we hired CDS Consulting Co-op to do our Market Study, and they reviewed three potential site locations and assessed factors such as adequate parking, ingress and egress, retail synergy, etc., and found that all three sites–including our Railroad Square site–had sufficient parking to meet our sales goals and our community/member-owner needs and vision. Our future site in Railroad Square will:
- Allow our Co-op to meet its sales potential and be a viable business–when it opens and long into the future.
- Meet the vision of the founding member-owners and the community (Friends of Center City Survey (2007); the Keene Master Plan (2010); and over 12 regional surveys the Co-op conducted from 2007 – 2010) for our store to be right in the downtown, help make our community a more “walkable” and bikeable community, be accessible to seniors and other community members without cars, and bring vibrancy into the heart of the region’s central gathering space.
If I move, what happens with my Co-op Membership?
You can offer your membership back to the Co-op or transfer your membership to another person. The Co-op will purchase the membership from you if it does not hurt the financial integrity of the Co-op.
What if I buy a membership now and the Co-op doesn’t open? If the Co-op does not open and the organization is dissolved, any remaining member contributions would be returned.
What happens after I join? We process Co-op memberships on a weekly basis, and you should expect a Membership Confirmation letter in the mail within two weeks of when you joined.
How does MCM Co-op fit into the local food movement and how will the Co-op work with the farmers and producers in our region? Over the last 3 years, we have distributed 12 rounds of surveys throughout the region, and there has been an overwhelming response from community members wanting to support local farmers and producers, and an interest in more year-round access to locally grown food. We have a Local Producer Outreach group working to contact local farmers and producers and create a database which we can give to the future Co-op Produce Manager so s/he can contact them to coordinate selling to the MCM Co-op.
What are the economic benefits of food co-ops for employees and our regional economy? When our Co-op opens next year, we will hire at least 45 staff to operate our store. The MCM Co-op is a member of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA)–a network of 25 Food Co-ops from NH, VT, MA and CT. From an independent study in 2007, when the NFCA was comprised of only 17 Co-ops, the association already had a dramatic impact on the regional economy. The average wage at the 17 food co-ops was 18% higher than the average for food and beverage stores in the same states.
How is the co-op financed? Our Co-op will be financed by money from MCM Co-op memberships, Donations & Grants (from community groups, individuals, etc. and grants related to Co-op Development); Member Loans (interest-bearing loan investments from MCM Co-op Member-owners); Gap Loan (potential additional loan from landlord or bank, if needed); and Vendor Credit (suppliers will extend credit to the Co-op in order to allow it to buy its products and services upfront but defer the payment for a later date). For more details, see our Sources and Uses.
Is this new co-op affiliated with the one in Brattleboro (or Hanover)?
The Monadnock Community Market Co-op is an independent entity from the Brattleboro Food Co-op. However, we have been working with other Food Co-ops in the area (Brattleboro, Hanover, Putney, the River Valley Market, etc.) to get their advice and feedback on ideas. The other co-ops have been very supportive in this process!
What are the Seven Cooperative Principles?
The co-operative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice:
1. Voluntary and Open Membership
2. Democratic Member Control
3. Member Economic Participation
4. Autonomy and Independence
5. Education, Training, and Information
6. Cooperation among Cooperatives
7. Concern for Community
Where can I find more information?
- Email: MonadnockCommunityMarket@gmail.com
- Visit our website: www.MonadnockCommunityMarket.com
- Call us: 603-355-8008
Love Co-op’s! Came from Seattle where the PCC co-op’s are long established and we are still members after 35 yrs! We also go up to Hanovet and are members there. Keene will be a bit closer from Wilton, but I look forward to 2012!
It will great to have a Co-op right here in Keene! There is no end to what we can do to bring more localism to our community – let’s keep the momentum going and make this the best project we can. Producing our own locally grown food and products is one of the most mindful things we can do. Thank you to all who have already put so much effort into this!
Thanks for expressing your support Mike!!