Small groceries struggling to stay even with chains
Small, independent groceries are a fixture in Madison, but pressure from powerful chains is threatening to put them out of business.
Members of the Mifflin Street Co-op, 32 N. Bassett St., had the option of selling the store, a measure that would have meant an end to the 37-year-old co-op, but voted overwhelmingly to take out the loan in the hopes of saving the unique store.
Mifflin Street Co-op is a place where you can buy natural foods downtown,\ Manager Josh Stuewer said. ""And that's kind of difficult to come by in this neighborhood.""
Volunteers do much of the work in the Co-op, stocking shelves and doing day-to-day tasks. And according to Stuewer, the Co-op is relying on more volunteers to turn around the store's $100,000 debt.
Most volunteers come from the downtown and campus areas, where members of housing co-ops receive discounts in return for labor. Stuewer said the arrangement strengthens the store's bonds to the city.
""It's not just a grocery co-op, it's a community organization,"" Stuewer said.
Stuewer said people shop at the Mifflin Street Co-op to support an organization that is cooperatively owned and collectively run. ""Customers make a decision to occasionally pay more for food in order to support to a smaller grocery store,"" he said.
""Co-ops are owned by people who invest in them and they become your co-op,"" said Brendon Smith, communications manager of the Willy Street Co-op., 1221 Williamson St.
The Willy Street Co-op gives grants, donations and sponsorships to local groups and works to educate its owners about the organic and natural food they sell and the energy efficient equipment they use.
Smith said the Willy Street Co-op is doing well, with more than 11,000 members, but added that many co-ops struggle because they are not as large and powerful as chains.
""It will always be a challenge,"" Smith said.
The Mifflin Street Co-op deals largely in special orders and, according to Stuewer, is more interested in being a community organization than making money. He added the store does not have the purchasing power to thrive in the mainstream market.
""It's difficult to compete with large grocers, like Copps and Woodman's, who can undercut your prices by selling things in larger quantities,"" Stuewer said.
Managers at Copps and Woodman's declined comment for this article.
Derek Anderson, an employee at Capitol Center Foods, 111 N. Broom St., said the independent store is well connected to the community. But, he added the relatively small grocer could be part of a dying breed.
""We have a lot of customers, I mean, there are always people in here,"" Anderson said. ""But I think eventually the big chains will take over.""
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