Happy New Year! Ome Time Ago, We Were Going to You, We Completed Our Remodel Over 3 Ago, We Were About the Only Natural Food Through Old Board Materials
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MEET YOUR NEW BOARD DIRECTORS, PAGE 7 www.rivermarket.coop December 2017- January 2018 Happy New Year! ome time ago, we were going to you, we completed our remodel over 3 ago, we were about the only natural food through old board materials. Some years ago. I think we did the right thing store in town (except for a very noble S of it was very well organized, some to remodel before the grocery wars picked experiment by Applebaums). We were was not. It was fun and instructive to see up in these parts. Competition will never used to having “quirky food” that shoppers people I’ve known as customers had also go away. The war doesn’t just stop. In the had never seen before. Today a lot of that served on the board of directors before 60’s I bagged groceries at the St. Anthony “quirky food” can be found in almost any I started at River Market. Another fun Village Red Owl store. Right in our shop- retail grocery store. That’s different. The tidbit was from old financials: December ping center there was another grocery word “organic” associated with patchouli used to be our biggest sales month while store (Penny’s Supermarket I think) and oil, bulk foods, and long-haired hippies now that recognition goes to May – the an S. S. Kresge’s. Central Avenue had in the 70’s, is mainstream today. Like our very start of the local season. December many grocery stores – Country Club was Stillwater traffic situation, isn’t it a greater was our 5th slowest month last year. 10 my mother’s favorite. North on Central good if more people eat better food? I years ago, a Cinco de Mayo display didn’t was a Zayre Shopper’s City. My point is, think so. do anything in produce. Not so today! even in a different era, competition was What River Market emphasizes is great Likewise, Super Sunday has turned into always right smack in our face. customer service, great produce, qual- the second biggest food day in the United One of the most delightful local competi- ity perishables, and the fact that we’re States. tive battles was between Cub Foods and locally owned. Much as you might wish People, demographics, cities, and com- Red Owl Country Stores. Cub opened otherwise, we will never win the low- petition continually change. I feel pretty their concrete floor, mark your own price wars. Would you really like wrapped good about the new bridge for example. groceries with a crayon, bare bones store produce that can be efficiently scanned It has not helped our sales yet, customer in Fridley in 1968. Soon after, Red Owl by a cashier to save labor and lower the counts are about the same as before. But I started opening Country Stores around price? That’s what Aldi’s does with their like to think about the thousands of com- the Twin Cities. They did Cub Foods one produce. Unlike Whole Foods’ dramatic muters who have been freed up from long, better with expanded refrigerated, frozen, move to reduce local buying and do more hardly moving lines of traffic for 15 to 20 and perishable departments. Cub took centralized purchasing, River Market buys minutes. Now that’s a greater good! And their stores to the next level and out- over a million dollars a year from local if our customer count is about the same as stored Red Owl. Around that time a Twin it was, then it’s our job to sell a little more Cities newspaper wrote that Cub had the to each customer. best produce in town and Cub began a IMPORTANT DATES tremendous rise in stores, sales, and repu- In fiscal 2019, we’re due for another DECEMBER tation. Red Owl, probably lacking a clear owner survey—let’s see how our demo- Wellness Wednesday ..........Dec 6 vision or mission and being owned by a graphic changes. Two surveys ago, “local” Store Closes at 4 pm .......Dec 24 parent company that syphoned cash out was clearly a key word; but that shifted Store Closed ....................Dec 25 of the stores, never responded significantly slightly in the last survey with owners Store Closes at 6 pm .......Dec 31 to Cub’s up-dates. preferring organic more than local. What’s next? Who will we be? The competition we see today is status JANUARY quo in our industry. It just happened to Store Closed .......................Jan 1 Competitively, look what Hy-Vee has hit the co-ops particularly hard. What’s Wellness Wednesday ...........Jan 3 done in our area. Cub is remodeling. Kow- different for grocery co-ops is that 20 years Roundtable Conversation ......Jan 17 alski’s has made some changes. Thanks December 2017- January 2018 2 River Market vendors, small vendors and farmers in the St. Croix Valley. We believe that’s good for Employees by Age our community and for us. We offer opportunities not always available in other workplaces. A majority of our staff 16% 30-39 are women. Six of nine department manag- 25% 20-29 ers are women. Five of nine owners on our www.rivermarket.coop 14% board are women. 40-49 16% Finally, the age distribution of our employ- 16% 60-69 Currents ees is surprisingly even. 20 to 29 year olds 16-19 Mead Stone 13% represent about a quarter of our staff, but 50-59 General Manager 30-39 and 60-69 are both at 16% of our [email protected] staff. Andre Bessette Marketing and Membership [email protected] For change of address or to inquire What are the responses to previous Cur- discuss the holiday food ideas you gave me about membership call 651439-0366. rents questions? Great customer service! to consider carrying this holiday season. (Thank you!) “No” to the bathroom – not River Market Community Co-op We’ve had a couple of interesting round-ta- a good business decision for the co-op. The 221 N. Main St. ble discussions and will be picking them up Stillwater, MN 55082 low-income program is about two to one in again in January, after the holidays. Is there For employment opportunities favor of a program, but this is not as over- a topic you would be interested in discuss- visit our website or check in whelming as I expected, so we’ll need to ing? What’s one item you would really like the in-store posting give the program a little more thought. At the co-op to consider carrying for you that All River Market Members are welcome our managers meetings, we have started to to attend monthly board meetings. you have to go elsewhere to buy? Meetings are generally held the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30–8:30 p.m. in the River Market Loft space across Main Street. Mead Stone wants your opinion The Board of Directors welcome members at the meetings. I’d like your response to either (or both) of the following questions: River Market Board of Directors 1. What would you like to see as a round table discussion topic? Alison Komarek, President 2. What’s one item we don’t carry that you’d really like us to consider [email protected] having on the shelf? Chris Jensen, Vice President Write your comments in the box below and feel free to add a separate piece of 612-735-3681 [email protected] paper. Give this feedback to any cashier and get a dollar off your order. Sara Morrison, Secretary We look forward to hearing from you! And I’ll continue questions like these with 651-983-1300 each future Currents issue. [email protected] Nate Hart, Treasurer 651-307-0299 [email protected] Elissa Cottle Brock Ehnert Matt Ludt April Rust Kellie Seth For general board questions email [email protected] $ Give to any cashier for 1 off your order. PLU 222 River Market 3 December 2017- January 2018 Rounding Up Recipient for December: The St. Croix River Association Celebrating 50 Years of Our Wild and Scenic River Film, Book, Art to Mark St. Croix Anniversary he St. Croix River Association Cities Public Television in June, and a quality, land protection, invasive spe- (SCRA) is thrilled to be partnering new photo book from acclaimed photogra- cies, and education and outreach, SCRA T with River Market Community Co- pher Craig Blacklock. The book, entitled aims to ensure a healthy future for the op for December. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway: St. Croix River and its watershed. SCRA The Enduring Gift, includes a foreword by staff, along with 21 Board members, many Did you know there is a National Park in Vice President Walter F. Mondale. Mon- volunteers, partners and interns, conduct the Co-op’s backyard? dale and then-fellow Senator Gaylord activities to: 1968 marked the passage of the federal Nelson were instrumental in passing the • Keep the St. Croix River clean for Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and with Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. recreation including boating, swimming it the creation of the St. Croix National Next year, SCRA will also partner with and fishing Scenic Riverway. The Riverway includes The Phipps Center for the Arts in Hud- both the St. Croix and its tributary, the • Protect the wild and scenic beauty of son, WI, for a month-long exhibit featur- Namekagon, and was among the eight Riverway ing a nationwide juried show and works by original rivers designated as wild and Blacklock and by Northern Clay Center • Ensure the plant and animal biodiver- scenic by the 1968 act, and the first to be alumni.