Dear Cooperative Community,

I wanted to take a few moments to touch base and let you all know what is going on with your precious beautiful Co-op.

Have you noticed that it is a little noisier in here than usual? It is also drier than normal. This is all due to the new dehumidification system installed last week by Kemco of Burlington. We have struggled with overly humid conditions in the store, especially in the summer months, for more than 10 years now. It has caused countless equipment issues, extra labor, and product loss. A big thank you to the landlords from North Eugene Partners for making this happen!

Kirkland Construction on the rebuild of the foyer will begin soon. It will start with Jim Gallucci’s team removing the bespoke Co-op Tree sculpture so the demo and reconstruction can start in late October. The new doors should arrive during that time. I suspect that entry into the Co-op will change a couple of times before we are all put back together. Please have patience and bear with us as we move through this challenging time.

Speaking of challenging times, since moving downtown in 2013, it seems like we have moved non-stop from one serious difficulty to the next. Remember the Greenway construction that seemed like it would never end? The best part about the challenges is that they make us better in so many different ways. Every city wishes that they had a Cooperative grocery store downtown on a Greenway that connects it to so many trails! We have moved through the worst of the challenges and we not only survived, but we are doing better than ever before. I just paid off another Owner Loan last week, our sales are at their highest to date, and it seems as if more and more people are learning about the importance of co-ops to the local economy and as a business model of sustainability. All of that coupled with Greensboro’s growth horizon, your Co-op is poised for great future success!

In order for us to get there without burning out our hardworking staff, we need more capital. We want to get all of the Owner Loans paid off as soon as possible, fill in the gap of funds from insurance for construction, do a bathroom remodel to have individual locking restrooms, create a new trash center with a sink to properly recycle and compost, and one day, expand the kitchen to offer more of what you love. We will launch a fundraiser as soon as I get the estimates for the work to set a goal.

The vision of a thriving bustling downtown Cooperative grocer is already in the works, and your Co-op will have so much more to offer you and our community. We will reach these goals and celebrate together!

See you in the aisles,
Nicole Villano, GM