The Badger Herald

NEWS

Board may stop cooperating with Mifflin Street Co-op

BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo

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Also by Lynn Heidmann:

Library Mall to add Subway, coffee shop (March 21, 2007)
Ticket dispute ends in lottery (May 3, 2007)
UW vet student earns book treat (March 9, 2007)

by Lynn Heidmann

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

The Mifflin Board of Directors voted unanimously this weekend to recommend to the General Membership Meeting to permanently close the Mifflin Street Co-op, whose sales have been struggling.

K.P. Whaley, collective store manager and staff representative, said this is not the first time the Mifflin Board of Directors has gone to the General Membership Meeting with the recommendation to close the store. He said, however, this is the first time they considered this their only option.

"There is certainly that chance members will vote to keep the store open, but given all the pertinent information, it would be highly unlikely," Whaley said.

Whaley also said the co-op's financial troubles have continued for so long because of a variety of factors, including lack of sales, changes in the surrounding neighborhood and changes in membership.

Additions of large commercial chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, he noted, did not help the business either.

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said Monday the co-op's probable closure is "too bad," especially considering the city's recent efforts to keep similar resources in neighborhoods.

"I'm sorry to hear the news, because one of the things we're trying to do is increase neighborhood grocery stores," Cieslewicz said. "I think what we've got to do is find ways to make these smaller grocery stores viable."

The mayor also said the co-op has had financial troubles because they are such a small organization and simply cannot provide enough variety to compete with larger chains.

According to Whaley, the Mifflin Street Co-op has been an asset to the neighborhood since it opened in 1969. He said the store has offered relief in a world where seven corporations control half of the food people eat.

But mostly, Whaley added, the community will miss the store just because of its familiarity and originality.

"I think this will be devastating, and I think it will be a terrible day in Madison," he said. "I think it will be sorely missed by the community and by the neighborhood and by our friends and family."