Cooperative Grocery Stores
Kununuana Food Co-Op Advertisement, Black News, 1973, Courtesy of Brooklyn History Center
The 1963 March on Washington became the impetus for groups across the United States to start cooperatives in the 1970s. And as we mentioned yesterday in 1979 the Carter administration supported initiatives that funded cooperative institutions across the United States. Educating people about the ABCs of cooperatives continues to a priority because for so many US citizens that understand them even though stores like BJ’s and Costco function almost like cooperatives. When you become a member of a food cooperative, you have committed to providing food for yourself and your community. Cooperative members have the same commitment as you. Membership participation in cooperative labor—ordering and stocking products, marketing products and maintaining a retail store, offering goods and services such as sales and customer service—allows a cooperative to provide goods and services at lower prices. The work contribution of members provide them discounts on purchases..
