Organic Growth
Friday, July 15, 2011 at 2:25AM 
By Barbara Byers
In late 2009, over coffee, a conversation began among a small group of friends in East Aurora. At the time, the topic at hand – opening a food co-op – was a “what if, pie-in-the-sky” conversation that merely scratched the surface of next steps and commitment levels. The friends went their separate ways, and a funny thing happened. None of them could stop thinking about the idea.
Flash forward 18 months: On April 25, the East Aurora Cooperative Market, Inc., reached a major milestone by welcoming its 500th member-owner! And all simply on a promise. “This may be considered a faith-based effort,” laughingly said Sheila Conboy, president of the EA Co-op board of directors. “What our member-owners are demonstrating is a deep faith in our conviction that we will open our doors and begin serving them, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
The concept of faith runs deep because, as of today, there is no building, no vendors, no general manager and no product. But what the co-op does have, in addition to more than 500 members, far outweighs what it lacks: An eight-member board of directors, more than 50 volunteers, five committees, a strategic plan, a temporary home on Main Street in the Village of East Aurora and unbridled enthusiasm.
In true co-op fashion, the East Aurora endeavor is a grassroots effort and one that its founders believe will have positive and lasting effects on the broader community. Its mission is to cultivate a sustainable co-op that is built by and for East Aurorians and the Southtowns through the maximal efficient use of local resources. “The adage that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ is apt here,” Conboy said, “in that we intend to increase the potential of our local farmers and producers by carrying as many locally produced products as possible. We want to create a ripple effect that will improve the health of our community, both nutritionally and economically. “
Throughout the 18-month whirlwind the co-op has experienced, the Lexington Co-op in Buffalo has been an inspiration and a mentor for so many things, not the least of which was support for a feasibility study that recently concluded. That research validated that “we can successfully sustain a sizable cooperative market in East Aurora,” Conboy said, and “confirmed that, when combined with the strong support from our community, is a recipe for success.”
The co-ops goal? Contributing to the local economy while supporting as much local farming as possible which keeps money in our community all while promoting the health of local residents who are now able to access quality and affordable food grown in their home town. While not all products will be local, their goal is to provide food that is high value at a fair price. Their goal now is to increase membership owners who enjoy benefits like being able to give input and direction to the co-op, share in the profits plus more of your dollars stay in the community when you shop at the co-op. The goal is to have over 1,000 members as a permanent location is sought. With a co-op, profits are typically either given back to the member-owners, or invested back into the business so that it can continue to grow, create jobs for the community, and offer a wider selection of food. In addition, people who shop at or belong to co-ops often report feeling more connected to their communities, and feel good about keeping the money they earn in their community.
The co-op movement across the country is something locals believe have great economic significance on city’s and regions. Across the country efforts to create a more local sustainable economy are at the forefront of many minds and a grassroots movement on multiple levels exist in other thriving local economies. All share the same values that doing business locally has a domino effect. The co-op concept offers yet another opportunity to push our city forward.
The East Aurora Cooperative Market, Inc. is on track to open in fall 2012. Learn more at its website, www.eacoop.com and on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/eacoop. Contact the co-op at info@eacoop.com.!
