in conclusion How can we strengthen a local sense of belonging in our high streets? The People’s Supermarket shows how new hybrid ventures can retain wealth in local neighbourhoods and re-imagine the grocery shop as a place where people do not just buy for their daily needs but also enjoy an active stake and daily interaction. Creating such long-term social returns requires not just a new generation of civic enterprise but also a greater availability of mixed mode investment sources. OTHER EXAMPLES
The Bear Co-op, Todmorden, UK, 1980
Park Slope Food Coop, New York, USA, 1973
Green Valley Grocer, Slaithwaite, UK, 2009
…is a health food co-operative shop and café, which encourages food growers to sell directly from the shop, and uses produce from Incredible Edible Todmorden gardens (see case study 12) in its café.
…is a members-only supermarket co-operative; in exchange for voluntary work once every month, members receive 20%-40% discounts on their groceries.
…is a community-owned co-operative in West Yorkshire that took over a grocer’s shop when the previous owners retired; its refurbishment was funded through a community share offer, volunteering and in-kind donations from other businesses.
Compendium for the Civic Economy
| Case Study #20 |
135