01/10/2025
Plainfield Co-op Community Update 1/9/25
Since our last update in mid-December, here’s where we stand:
1. Store merger. Under the leadership of our skilled general manager, Jeannine DeWald, the merger of the two businesses continues. This includes:
• Reorganization and upgrades to the Route 2 store. Next big change: Installation of the produce prep area, which should be completed in a few weeks.
• Merging member, customer, and product data into one point of sale (POS) system. This is a complex process that is nearing completion over the next month. Co-ops are a specialized business model and this process cannot be rushed or outsourced.
• Reorganizing the staffing structure to better meet the needs of the business.
• Working with vendors to secure the best deals and payment terms.
This is a tiny fraction of her checklist. Jeannine inherited a challenging situation – a jigsaw puzzle with many pieces – and is working through the list as thoughtfully and expeditiously as possible. We appreciate your patience (and please keep shopping!)
2. Sale of the village building. As you have undoubtedly heard, the board is
accepting proposals from potential buyers. To date, we have received one promising proposal. We have scheduled a real estate appraisal to determine a fair price for the building. All real estate transactions require a vote of the members; stay tuned for
details.
3. Fundraising. To date, we have raised $523,000 in gifts and loans from the community, which is a remarkable achievement. If you’ve donated or loaned money – or volunteered to help with fundraising – thank you!
We are seeking an additional $77,000 to reach our goal of $600,000. This is critical funding to help complete the merger process. If you’d like to participate, please contact the board.
4. Completing the move. We expect to close the village store in mid-February once the POS system is in place on Route 2. The move will happen in stages over several
weeks because, as noted, we are building this jigsaw puzzle piece by piece. If you would like to volunteer, let us know. We are also seeking a contract project manager to help organize volunteers and logistics around the move.
With gratitude,
your Plainfield Co-op board, [email protected]
