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letters Thanks for welcoming visiTors and giving us informaTion we need Thank you, thank you for keeping a frequent visitor of Asheville in the know. I'm not a "tourist." Even though I don't live in Asheville, I visit frequently enough that this feels like my second home. So, the first thing (OK, maybe the second thing, after I get my hands on a chicken sandwich from HomeGrown) is pick up a copy of the Mountain Xpress and read it cover to cover. In just a matter of minutes, I'm in the know. In the Triangle we have the Independent Weekly, a publication that I read every week to [keep] current, and even then I still read a number of other blogs and feeds to keep up. In Asheville, I'm in good hands with the Mountain Xpress. Thanks for welcoming visitors and giving them all the information they need for Asheville to feel like home. — Caroline Riddle Durham
french Broad food co-op is communal By design I am writing in response to Cari Rowan's July 18 letter, “Down and Out in Aisle One.” I am glad you are noticing the changes going on in what used to be two very vibrant local natural food companies. Both stores used to be places that really upped the bar when it came to sourcing products with the highest quality possible. Now profit does seem to be their ultimate goal. And that’s where the French Broad Food Co-op comes in. Significantly, we are not bound by a
profit motive. We are instead bound by our commitment to educating and growing our community, improving our staff’s environment, maximizing the availability of organic and local products, as well as our financial health. If we do make a profit, rather than it being siphoned out of our community, a significant amount is paid out in the form of a rebate to our owners — shoppers who invest $25 a year in us ($250 gets a lifetime status for owners). As for me, I received three times my $25 investment as a rebate, based on how much I spent at the Co-op in 2011. So that brings me to your characterization of us as a high-priced store with limited selection. It’s simply not true. Don’t be fooled by retail games played by those with huge marketing infrastructures. If you do a detailed price comparison, you will find we are comparable if not better on most items. This is because we are part of a larger national co-op. We pull together to negotiate better pricing from our bigger suppliers. ... The Co-op is poised to grow in the coming years, as we have become a very strong company lately. You are right: “This presents [us] with a great opportunity to expand, if we have the resources necessary.” So I want to remind you: We will gain the resources we need when more people like you give up on the corporations that are siphoning money out of our community. Join us. Shop here and make us the store you need us to be. It’s people-power time! Your choices will define our future. — Bobby Sullivan General Manager French Broad Food Co-op Letters continue
staff PuBLIShER: Jeff Fobes hhh ASSISTANT TO ThE PuBLIShER: Susan hutchinson SENIOR EDITOR: Peter Gregutt hhh MANAGING EDITORS: Rebecca Sulock, Margaret Williams A&E REPORTER & FAShION EDITOR: Alli Marshall h SENIOR NEWS REPORTER: David Forbes h STAFF REPORTERS: Jake Frankel, Caitlin Byrd, Bill Rhodes EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, SuPPLEMENT COORDINATOR & WRITER: Jaye Bartell MOVIE REVIEWER & COORDINATOR: Ken hanke ASSISTANT MOVIE EDITOR: Caitlin Byrd CONTRIBuTING EDITORS: Jon Elliston, Nelda holder, Tracy Rose CALENDAR EDITOR, WRITER: Jen Nathan Orris CLuBLAND EDITOR, WRITER: Dane Smith CONTRIBuTING WRITERS: Susan Andrew, Miles Britton, Megan Dombroski, Anne Fitten Glenn, ursula Gullow, Mike hopping, Susan hutchinson, Kate Lundquist, Pamela McCown, Kyle Sherard, Justin Souther CONTRIBuTING ARTS EDITOR: ursula Gullow ART & DESIGN MANAGER: Carrie Lare h AD DESIGN & PREPRESS COORDINATOR: John Zara
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WEB MANAGER: Don Makoviney OFFICE MANAGER & BOOKKEEPER: Patty Levesque hhh ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER: Lisa Watters hh ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT: Arenda Manning DISTRIBuTION MANAGER: Jeff Tallman ASSISTANT DISTRIBuTION MANAGER: Denise Montgomery DISTRIBuTION: Ronnie Edwards, Ronald harayda, Adrian hipps, Jennifer hipps, Joan Jordan, Russ Keith, Marsha Mackay, Ryan Seymour, Dane Smith, Ed Wharton, Thomas Young h = Five years of continuous employment
mountainx.com • AUGUST 1 - AUGUST 7, 2012 5