Park Slope Co-op Brings Home the Bacon
“Founded in 1973, the Park Slope co-op has grown so dramatically in recent years that it has been forced to limit the number of new members. Its balance sheet is so strong—the co-op paid off its mortgage in January—that general manager and founding member Joe Holtz wonders what to do with more than $500,000 in…
“Founded in 1973, the Park Slope co-op has grown so dramatically in recent years that it has been forced to limit the number of new members. Its balance sheet is so strong—the co-op paid off its mortgage in January—that general manager and founding member Joe Holtz wonders what to do with more than $500,000 in profits. Last year’s revenues were $39 million. If we continue to accumulate cash like this, he says, we’ll have to have a meeting and maybe lower our prices again. — Crain’s
Photo by Peffs
PSFC management has been very available and helpful in assisting start-up co-ops in other neighborhoods. The three that are farthest along, I believe, are the Greene Hill Co-op in Clinton Hill-Fort Greene (you should check them out, Heather), the Bay Ridge Co-op, and the Lefferts Farm Community Co-op, in PLG/Crown Heights/Flatbush. If you like the idea of a member-owned (and PSFC members aren’t sharholders because it’s a non-stock corporation) co-op but don’t want to trek over to PS, you should join up with one of these organizations if you live in any of those areas. I believe all three have Facebook pages, so you can check them out there.
Just start your own food coop. That is what they did.
I am a member of the Bay Ridge Food Co-op. We will not be called the Park Slope Food Co-op but will operate very much like the Park Slope Food Co-op. And it is my understanding that so will the other neighborhood co-ops looking to open. I don’t think there will be any spin off of the PSFC, just other neighborhood with co-ops of their own.
It is also my understanding that the PSFC members would like to see this happen to alleviate the overcrowding at their store.
Another point about expansion, anyone who actually attends General Meetings at the PSFC would know that this *is* being actively discussed. There is no “entrenched board” against it, there is no secret plot to kill the idea, etc etc. It’s a very complicated proposal, and there are at least several competing ideas about locations and approaches. As I said previously, everything is debated and voted on by the membership, so I expect decision to take some time.
As a member I second the idea of a spin off…there are a lot of big empty spaces all over Brooklyn that could be used. But it’d be a huge undertaking, and would cost a lot more than 500K. Still, if you can’t do your shopping when most everyone else is at work the coop can be a miserable experience. I actually take Wednesday mornings off work just to go to the coop.
There are certainly negatives, but after watching Food, Inc. I’m not about to buy my meat and veggies from the regular grocery store anymore…that alone is worth the hassle of the work shift and crowded store.
I hadn’t heard the idea of working once every six weeks before, but that’d be awesome…
I wish more people would start hating the PSFC so that it might be easier for me to shop during peak hours. Go ahead, spread your uninformed and jealous resentment all you’d like! But seriously, there are a number of people who labor under the misapprehension that the PSFC is run much like any other business – this is decidedly not the case. Joe Holtz cannot make unilateral decisions about expanding or granting loans or anything of substance without approval from the membership. This means everything takes an excruciatingly long time to happen, with much debate on every side. That’s the way the Coop works (and has been working very well for 30+ years) so if you don’t like it, by all means, please go away and shop elsewhere.
You are free to do that, Pete. I know I’m not talking to right crowd here, because who doesn’t like cheap food, byzantine rules and scheduling, waiting an hour in line to check out and a waiting list… but despite its success, I am not into the coop.
And that is why we are not members. That and the fact that dragging my groceries back to Fort Greene doesn’t appeal to me. I know… where IS my prius? Why don’t I just drive after buying my locally-sourced food… and damn, I forgot, I don’t know how!
If they expanded (and I too have heard there’s an entrenched board that doesn’t want this) I would like them more. I am sure they will survive my dislike.
Apparently, one thing they won’t do, despite a huge surplus in workforce, is ease the work requirements, perhaps to something like 3 hours every six weeks instead of every four. There are definitely people who would like to join and are willing to work, but not qutie that often, due to work and family schedules. Insgtead, they keep inventing new and ever less essential jobs. It is also hard to shop there except at very off peak hours, because lines are so long. We’ve always wanted to join, but it always seemed like more hassle than it is either worth or is necessary.
With surplus funds, huge crowds and more would-be members, a spin-off to a second location would actually make a lot of sense.
As for opening up in other neighborhoods, there are other food co-ops in the works in many different neighborhoods (Bay Ridge, Bed-Stuy, etc.), and have worked with the PSFC as a model. Each neighborhood is different, so it won’t be an exact copy of the PSFC. However, it should be a great representation of that neighborhood.