A new cooperative food store in Medford is in the works and Medford’s mayor is among the first to purchase a subscription.
"I like to buy local products from local producers, and I look for organic food," said Mayor Gary Wheeler, who is purchasing a $100 subscription to the proposed Medford Market. He said he and his wife, Treasure Wheeler, eat local organic food as often as they can.
The Wheelers, who have a membership at the Ashland Food Co-op, would be regulars of such a store in Medford, he said. Though he would prefer the store opening its doors downtown, he said the location isn’t the most important issue.
"The reality is they need to have a location that is accessible," he said. "That type of market is not meant to be a neighborhood market but more of a regional market."
Though a site has yet to be chosen and the business plan is still being written, organizers of Medford’s proposed community-owned food store recently made subscriptions available and have scheduled an auction fundraiser for Jan. 13 to jump-start the project.
The Medford co-op would offer a variety of products with an emphasis on natural, organic and locally produced food. According to the Medford Market Web site (www.medfordmarket.org), the co-op would have voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence and would offer community education and classes.
Over the past several months, the steering committee has met regularly, held two community meetings, created a Web site with an online survey and worked closely with the Ashland Food Co-op to gather information for its business plan, according to Paige West, steering committee member. The committee is also currently reviewing membership structure and benefits, meeting with local consultants to review locations for the store and researching varied grant and loan opportunities.
Organizers also have been working with Food Co-op 500, a national program which supports the development of new food cooperatives in the U.S. with a goal of increasing the number of food co-ops from 300 to 500 by 2015.
The steering committee members are organizing an auction fundraiser for mid-January.
"Right now we’ve raised roughly $3,000," said West.
The committee hopes to raise enough money to apply for a $10,000 matching grant with a February deadline. The funding would assist in doing a feasibility study and a business plan, said West.
In addition to the auction the committee is selling subscriptions, she said.
Up to twenty subscriptions can be purchased for each household at $100 per subscription. Subscription holders are given one vote to elect board members and for other major decisions. Subscriptions also can be used as credit toward the cooperative’s membership once the doors are open.
Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com.
If you go:
WHAT: Medford Market Kick-Off Gala, silent auction and
fundraiser with items from local artists and businesses.
WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m.
Jan. 13.
WHERE: The Acme Building, 1 W. Sixth St., Medford.
CONTACT: Paige
West, at 292-0873. For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit www.medfordmarket.org.
