Moscow
Food Co-op HistoryEditor's note: This history was compiled with the help of many people, but our collective memories haven't recovered all the Co-op-shaking events of the past years. If you have memories of important events that are not mentioned here, please write them down and send them to us at the Co-op. Feel free to 'name names' and weave tales. We'd like to fill in the gaps and document as much of this `long, strange trip' as possible.
 Storefront at 314 South Washington, circa 1983 |
 The Good Food Store opens on Second Street, 1973 |
 How it all began...1973 |
 Not your average customer, 1984 (Hey, isn't his name Ed?) |
 Linda Rabnor, July 1996 |
 Mary Butters and Jack Carpenter, hanging up our shingle, 1990 |
 Kelly setting up, or taking down the Bazaar, 1992 |
 3 bakers baking: Lucy Gallardo, Jean Cahill, and Ed Clark, 1992 |
1974: April — The Good Food Store incorporates with 25 members.
May—Good Food Store receives $4,615 in grant money.
1975: August — Store changes its name to the Moscow Food Co-operative, and moves to 610 Main Street, across from the fire station.
September — Board of Directors looks at ways to increase efficiency and sales; discusses management job benefits such as insurance, sick leave and vacations; membership cards proposed.
December — 3-tier pricing system goes into effect, with only members getting the `bulk' rate on food.
1976: February — S.R.C.D.C. loan to be renegotiated; CAA to audit books; Proposal made to separate Chair of the Board of Directors and President of Co-op positions.
March — Board of Directors is restructured; meeting process and decision-making structures are put in place.
May — Co-op moves to storefront on the southeast corner of A and Washington Streets; working discount program set up; Co-op withdraws from the Chamber of Commerce; Permits applied for with the city of Moscow for a Farmer's Market.
June — Work Party to construct bulk bins and to rearrange store. Regional Co-op gathering at Cosmic Farms in Fairfield, WA.
July — Board of Directors writes down the bylaws.
August — Board decides to have a paid janitor.
September — Sandy Ogle resigns as Manager.
December — Co-op begins buying from Equinox—a cooperative wholesale supplier.
1977: September — Co-op purchases first certificate of membership in Equinox.
1978: May — Co-op has a booth at the Renaissance Fair.
June — Board decides it should hire any janitors. At the membership meeting, members suggest "...more munchies...." Board decides to collect $5 from current and new members to fund capitalization of Equinox; Building party held for Equinox.
October — Co-op is losing money, even though sales are up; David Cole volunteers to do a budget. Co-op relocates to 310 South Washington St.
December — Regular shifts and days established for cashiers; new bulk bins designed; overall markup on products raised by 10%.
1979: January — Finances are in the black "for a while now;" Cold Room construction plans begin; interest-free loans from members fund cold room construction; Coordinators (shift managers) get raise to $3.00 per hour.
February — 5-door reach-in cooler bought in Spokane for $500; digital scale next on capital equipment list; volunteer clerks get perk of food at cost.
March — Food-at-cost benefit extended to coordinators as well; March 31st is largest sales day ever—$1,600. Best sales month ever—$16,800; Coordinators, janitor, and bookkeeper get raises to $3.50 per hour; New pricing system: general 45% markup, 5% discount for nonworking members, 15% for working members, 25% for volunteer clerks and coordinators. Board members work half days Saturdays to relieve coordinators.
July — Street dance held on 22nd; Working member discount increased to 20%; new bulk bins built according to health codes.
August — New decision making process: members to decide major policy, Board of Directors to facilitate that policy and coordinators to implement it. Finances go into red `again;' janitor placed on salary; proposal made for mandatory new member orientation.
September — "Bad financial condition" requires store wide markup of 3%.
October — Bylaws under revision; newsletter "going strong."
November — Wholesale pricing system approved for members; 6 month moratorium on in-store charges; members vote against carrying coffee.
1980: January — Board of Directors vote to limit meetings to 2 hours.
April — Store to stay open until 7 p.m. on Fridays and not open until 10 a.m. on Sat.
June — Members propose we buy a building; long-range planning proposed; Personnel policies being developed.
August — T-shirt design contest planned; Equinox requests loan of $60,000.
October — Sales droop all year, co-op has lost $2,000 so far; Store wide markup increased by 2%; grievance procedure put in place; work requirement raised to 3 hours per month; herb prices raised 30%.
November — Co-op begins advertising.
1981: June — finances are `looking good; marketing committee formed.
October — Herb workshop cosponsored with the Historical Society.
