When a start-up co-op gets to 1000 member-owners, it is a huge accomplishment, and we were thrilled to celebrate this milestone! We have been following a national model for co-op development. In that model, the first step is to reach 1000 members – which we have now done. This accomplishment proved that we had enough viability to move forward.
The second step involves securing a location. In October of 2020, we announced the location of the Rooted Carrot Co-operative Market at 123 West 7th Street in Cedar Falls, on the corner of 7th Street and Main.
The third step involves raising capital and membership, yet again, in order to open the doors. We are currently in this phase. It is estimated that we will need close to 2000 members in order to open the doors.
So, while reaching the milestone of 1000 members was significant, it is only part of what still remains to be done. No co-op opens magically when it hits a specific number of members, but the more members there are, the easier it is to get the support needed to have a successful community-grown cooperative business.
It does not take longer to open a co-op than other stores. However, the difference with a co-op is that members are a part of the process and are informed about every step. When a large corporation (like a Target or a Wal-Mart) decides to open a store, it can take many years. Several sites are considered and studied; market projections are done; and done again. Negotiations with the city or county take place regarding the logistical, economic, and infrastructure support that may be provided. For the most part, the public doesn’t see any this preliminary work. Instead, they hear the store being announced just shortly before it opens or when they break ground, not realizing that it took several years of work to get to that point.
Our Co-op is no different than other stores in this respect. It has taken us some time to find the perfect location. It will take time to raise the capital to fund the building of the store. And it will take time to build our membership base to the level we need for opening the store. If all of this goes well, we will open the store in the summer of 2022.
If you haven’t been to a cooperative grocery store, you have missed out. They are bright welcoming spaces celebrating the community by focusing on selling products from local producers and farmers. Cooperative markets support small producers from all over, cultivating products that are sustainable, often organic or natural, and affordable.
However, each co-op is different. While all are focused primarily on supporting their local producers, they follow a viable business model and serve their membership in the capacity that is best needed in the area. Our co-op will provide a variety of products from toiletries to canned food to fresh produce, allowing a one-stop shop experience for customers that is familiar to our membership and our area. In other words, it will look like a grocery store – with a produce section, canned goods, fresh meats, a deli, and a dairy section. The difference is that members make the decisions about the products that are carried instead of corporate bosses.
The Rooted Carrot Co-op will be open to all, not just member-owners. We encourage you to look up food co-ops on your travels so you can see this business model in action. Or take a short trip to one of our Iowa co-ops in Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Iowa City, Coralville or Ames.
Because the Co-op is member driven, commitment from people in the local community is crucial to opening the doors. In order to apply for grants, loans, and recruit investors to this project, we need sizable member numbers to prove there is interest and need in the community. If we don’t have the members before the store opens, the store won’t open. It’s important for the community to step up and acknowledge that they want this store and will support it.