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Ownership Goal:
We need 1,500
to begin renovation and 2,000 by the time
the store is opened.
Our Location
Company Shops Market Co-op is very pleased
to announce our location.
Living the dream of re-use and recycle, what was once
an A&P grocery store at 268 East Front Street in downtown Burlington
- will be a market once again.
The generosity and commitment of Bob and Kathy Hykes,
the Hayden-Harman Foundation, and our growing number of owners and
stakeholders, will allow the co-op to purchase our building. The
purchase of this building will serve as the kick-off of our
investors program. Tell everyone you know that we need that support
in order to renovate the building and get the market opened as soon
as possible. $2 million dollars must be raised to convert our
building into a modern grocery store and get the market opened.
Watch for more information on how you can be a part of revitalizing
downtown.
At present, we have over 1350 family and individual
owners. We still need help to get us to 2,000 – the number we need
by the time the store opens! This will be a store owned by the
community, run by the community, and supported by the community, so
we’re asking you to do your part to help get the market opened!
Bill Moser has prepared an architectural drawing of
the new storefront. He has made our building come alive again! Just
picture yourself sitting in the outdoor dining area enjoying fresh,
local food or a great cup of coffee with friends. It is so exciting
to see this plan coming together! The latest news will always be on our
Facebook group page. You can also now keep up with us on
twitter:
http://twitter.com/csmcoop. Congratulations to all of us for
getting to this point!
Thank you for making it a
Sweet Event!
Thanks to everyone who was made it to the ice cream
event at the market on Sunday, June 28th! We had a very good crowd,
great local ice cream from Smitty's, and REALLY good local music
from
Graymatter (and
thanks to both the Gray guys and the Gude guy!). Check out their
myspace page 'graymattersings'.
We have sold over 1350 ownership shares so far! We need 1,500 to begin renovation and 2,000 by the time the
store is opened. The owners will make it happen, but investing in
community investment notes is important also and will finance it.
Please visit the Become an
Investor page if you'd like more information on how you can
invest in a note.
For
those owners that didn't get their owner t-shirt or tote before they
ran out (kind of a good problem to have), they will be available at
future events.
We are searching for images of the old A&P. If anyone has any, or
knows where we can find them, please let us know. We also heard many
stories from those that worked at the A&P, or were dragged to
the A&P with
their mother. We could like to include these stories, so please
share those with us.
Thanks
again for a wonderful day. We will hold an event at the market once
a month until construction begins!
Company Shops Market
is featured on TreeHugger.com!
"Can Community Co-ops Revive Our Towns? Hometown
Security through Local Co-ops:
The current climate might not seem like the best time to open a
grocery store. A group of residents in Burlington, NC - a town that
has seen its fair share of unemployment and company closures over
the years - would beg to disagree. They argue that this is exactly
the time to support local, sustainable businesses that can breathe
life back into America's towns and cities. That's the inspiration
behind Company Shops Market - a locally owned co-operative that is
setting out to refurbish an old grocery store built in 1949,
offering local, sustainable food from the area's farmers. But can
community co-ops offer a more sustainable solution to economic
development?
Read the full article on TreeHugger.com...
“YOU + 2 = 2000”
Campaign To Reach 2,000 CSM Owners!
If each owner signs up two new owners, we will reach
our
goal of 2,000 owners by the time we open!
You can help by:
▪ Signing up at least two new owners
▪ Telling our story to prospective owners in your organization or
group
▪ Serving on the marketing subcommittee
If you wish to do so, please send your contact information to:
Caroline Ansbacher
Chair, Marketing Subcommittee
Company Shops Market
cansbacher@aol.com
Subject Line: You + 2
Company Shops Market
Welcomes Jill Durban as Project Coordinator
Please welcome Jill Durban as Project Coordinator for
Company Shops Market. You will be hearing from Jill often in the
weeks and months to come, and please take a moment to meet her at
one of our future events. Please visit
Our Managers page for a
complete bio.
2008 Annual Report
The
Company Shops Market
2008
Annual Report is now available online. Click here or find it
under the 'About Us' section of our website.
Company Shops Market First Annual Ownership Meeting
Thank you to all of you who were able to attend the
first annual owners meeting! There were nearly 300 people present
and we were astonished at the attendance and gratified by all of the
support.
As reported in the Board’s Message to the Owners, at the advice of
our various consultants, and the voices of our owners, and
prospective owners, we have committed to locating the market in
downtown Burlington and to play a role in the revitalization of
downtown. We believe that doing so will contribute to the success of
the market and the realization of the vision. We are currently in
the process of evaluating potential viable locations and will soon
begin our community investment note program. The Hayden-Harman
Foundation has pledged a $100,000 community investment note to
anchor our community investment note fundraising.
Caroline Ansbacher unveiled her ‘You + 2 = 2,000’ ownership
campaign. If every current owner can sign up two owners, we can
quickly reach our necessary ownership goals and get the market up
and running.
The Annual Report is now
available on the website for further details of the state of the
co-op.
Again, thank you for your continued support.
Sharon Dent
CSM Board President
Scholarship
Program for Owner Shares
Company Shops Market is excited to announce the
launch of its Scholarship Program. Due to the generosity of several
Co-op owners that have donated funds for this effort, the Co-op now
has $50 scholarships available for individuals or families in need
of assistance in purchasing their ownership share. Please contact
Jill Durban at
contact@companyshopsmarket.coop or 336-314-1972 for
application details.
Company Shops Market is a cooperatively
owned, full-service grocery store and cafe
coming to Burlington. Conscientious shoppers are ready for a
conveniently located store committed to
local, organic and sustainably produced
food!
Our vision as a community-owned grocery and
gathering place is to provide exceptional
food products utilizing, as much as
possible, our local, small, sustainable
farmers. Company Shops Market will provide
outstanding products to people who want to
know where and how their food is raised,
will provide a fulfilling workplace and
shopping experience and will provide an
incentive for the preservation and
initiation of small, local farms thereby
supporting the well-being of our entire
community.
Company Shops Market will operate a retail
storefront open 7 days a week, 12 hours a
day and staffed buy a full-time, paid team
of employees. It will sell sustainably grown
and organic produce, grocery, dairy,
deli/salad bar items, bakery, bulk, meat,
beer and wine and health and body care
products. The Co-op also plans to offer an
organic coffee bar and fresh sushi!
Everyone will be welcome to shop at Company
Shops Market, but to support this grassroots
effort and receive owner benefits, please
purchase your share today!
Become An
Owner
Watch
Our Video!
Turn on your speakers and click the
play button to learn more about the Company Shops Market vision for
Alamance County.
For
those owners that didn't get their owner t-shirt or tote before they
ran out (kind of a good problem to have), they will be available at
future events. 
Thanks
again for a wonderful day. We will hold an event at the market once
a month until construction begins!
Please welcome Jill Durban as Project Coordinator for
Company Shops Market. You will be hearing from Jill often in the
weeks and months to come, and please take a moment to meet her at
one of our future events. Please visit
