Company Shops Purchases Used Equipment from Former Restaurant:

Company Shops Market acquires gently used kitchen equipment and cafe furnishings from the former Red Oak Brew Pub.

We were recently contacted by Bill Sherrill, with an offer to purchase some kitchen/cafe and other usable equipment and interesting items from the old Red Oak Brew Pub for a great deal. By purchasing gently used equipment, we are both saving money and being good environmental stewards (Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.) by giving the restaurant equipment a new life. We hired Sustainable Alamance workers to disassemble and pack the equipment and furnishings which will be stored at a warehouse until renovations are complete at the Company Shops Market building.  (You may remember that we hired the Sustainable Alamance workers to remove the old wooden ceiling framework on the CSM building about a month ago. You can read more about that on our blog)

Thank you Bill Sherrill (of Red Oak Brewery fame) for offering us a great deal on equipment and furnishings for the Company Shops Market kitchen and cafe. Thanks to CSM investor and former boardmember, Sam Moore, for allowing us to store everything in his warehouse space. And thank you Sustainable Alamance for a job well done.

(Sustainable Alamance disassembles restaurant fixtures at former Red Oak Brew Pub for use at Company Shops Market Co-op)

Building Committee Update:

The building committee finalized the floor plan last week. CE Pugh and the Development Cooperative are working on laying out the cut sheets based on the finalized floor plan. Once we have the cut sheets and make a few other design and logistical decisions we will be able to obtain a final ballpark construction price and can begin work on the architectural plans in preparation for the building permit.

*The building committee is: Bill Moser, Bob Hykes, Rusty Holt, David Williams, and Sharon Dent. We meet at least twice a month, and will be meeting weekly as construction begins.

(Above: Building committee meets with C.E. Pugh. L-R: Sharon Dent, Bob Hykes, C.E. Pugh, Rusty Holt, and David Williams. )

We're Hiring: General Manager Wanted

We are still taking applications for our General Manager position. Company Shops Market is currently seeking a full time professional General Manager to open and operate the Company Shops Market co-op natural foods grocery store, opening in early 2011.

Think you know the perfect person for the job? Be sure to tell them about it.

It is our intention to fill this position by mid September, 2010. Visit our website for more information: companyshopsmarket.coop/working_at_csm.html

Q & A with Board President Sharon Dent:

Q: When will I receive my preferred share certificate?
A: They're on their way! I mailed the first batch out this week. Thankfully, I had quite a few to prepare!

Q: Now that the co-op has received a $298,000 grant, are we still selling preferred shares?
A. Absolutely. The more preferred shares we sell, and the more community investment notes we convert to preferred shares, the better our equity position. Because we will receive the grant at the 'back-end' -- after we have completed construction -- every little bit makes a difference in getting the store open quickly.

Sharon Dent
CSM Board President

Upcoming Events:

Saturday Store @ the CSM Building - Every Saturday 10am-2pm

Company Shops Market will have a 'Saturday Store' every Saturday from 10 to 2. Come on down! Pick up your owner t-shirt and/or totebag, purchase your Preferred Shares, or just take a peak inside the future home of Company Shops Market.  We will also be selling the tin ceiling tiles.  

In-Season Eating

Tips & Recipes for In-Season Eating, by CSM Owner Megan Squire

Orzo Salad and Grilled Eggplant with Peanut Sauce by Megan Squire

Here are two super-quick recipes perfect for summer.

Orzo Salad
This recipe has three small parts: chopped fresh veggies and crumbled feta cheese, orzo (small rice-shaped pasta), and a dressing/sauce. I'll tell you how to make each part and you just mix them together in a big bowl, chill, and serve.

Ingredients & Method:
1 cup of orzo pasta - bring water to boil, reduce heat and cook pasta for 8 minutes

Chopped seasonal veggies (I used one small zucchini, half a cucumber, two very small peppers, one tomato, and some kalamata olives, fresh basil leaves, all chopped), Feta cheese (4 ounces or a half-block, crumbled)

After the orzo cooks, drain completely and rinse in cold water. Add to bowl with veggies and feta.

For the dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2T red wine vinegar, 1 t. dried chopped thyme (or fresh if you have it), 1 t. dried chopped dill (or fresh if you have it), salt and pepper.

Toss orzo and veggies in dressing. At this point if you like a bit of a creamier texture, you could add a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise or ranch dressing, that would be nice. Refrigerate or serve at room temperature.

Grilled Eggplant and Peanut Sauce
This recipe could not be any easier. You're going to grill some lightly-oiled eggplant on either an indoor or outdoor grill, and top it with some peanut-soy sauce.

Ingredients & Method:
Cut 2 medium eggplants into rounds, about 1/2 inch thick. Baste each side with olive oil and set on grill to cook. Cook until tender but not mushy.

For the peanut sauce, you're going to mix 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 t. sesame oil over low heat in a saucepan. Add 2 T. soy sauce, 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, 1 t. sugar, and 1/3 cup water in a pan over medium-low heat until creamy. If you need to add more water, add it 1 tablespoon at a time. You want a nice creamy sauce, not too chunky and not too watery.

Top each eggplant round with a dollop of sauce.

Interesting Tidbits:

50 Vintage Ceiling Tiles Sold to Chris Smith of The Mill at Gibsonville

Chris Smith of The Mill at Gibsonville purchased 50 of our ceiling tiles last week. We can hardly wait to find out what creative things she is doing with them. "Inspired by the old Liberty Hosiery Mill, the charm of the community, and a passion for the old and new, Chris was led to bring together a diverse group of friends – carpenters, artists and interior designers – who share her vision that is being realized by the opening of The Mill at Gibsonville." Find out more about this new local business on their website: http://www.themillatgibsonville.com/

Cake 'n Caboodle brings Mini Cupcakes to CSM Community Potluck

Shelly Gregory of Cake 'n Caboodle brought a tray of vegan chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing mini cupcakes to last week's CSM Potluck. Shelly is an award winning baker and cake decorator based in Burlington, NC who hopes to sell her delicious deserts at Company Shops Market when we open this Winter. I think we are all hoping she will be back at our next potluck with more baked goodies.  Find Shelly on Facebook.

Newsletter Archives Now Available Online

Our past newsletters, as far back as Aug. 2009, are now available online on our website: http://companyshopsmarket.coop/newsletter/

The  Numbers:

1,710	$602,800
Owners	Community Investment

Preferred Shares

Show your support: Buy preferred shares today
 

Invest in three simple steps:

1. Review the Prospectus carefully.
2. Complete and sign the Subscription Agreement.
3. Mail the signed Subscription Agreement and your check to: Sharon Dent, Company Shops Market, Inc., Post Office Box 848, Burlington, NC 27216.

It’s that simple…. *For more information, visit our Become An Investor page

Want to hear more from the co-op? Get the latest news and join the conversion on the Blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Nathan Perry & Sarah Cook
Co-Managers of Communications and Brand Management