Driving through the city of Manitowoc, you may have seen yard signs that announce that the people who live there are proud co-owners of the Clipper City Co-op, but what exactly does that mean?
We were able to speak with Beth Steimle from the Co-op, who explained to SeehaferNews.com that a Co-Op brings “local producers into our community, and weaving that back into a grocery store. We are basically building a local community grocery store.”
The term Co-Op not only refers to the fact that the community cooperates to fund and supply products for the store, but also the fact that all Co-Ops work together to help each other. “The fun part with Co-Ops is they share everything,” Steimle explained. “Right now, we are going into negotiations with our site and getting ready for our capitol campaign. Our neighboring Co-Op in Oshkosh, who just finished that, are working hand in hand [with us], giving us tips. We are not reinventing the wheel.”
Sally Peck was also on hand, and she said getting a Co-Op in Manitowoc is so exciting because “Co-ops feed people all around the world in a different way from conventional grocery. The really exciting part is the community around Co-Ops.”
For more information on the Co-Op and how you can be involved, visit ClipperCityCoOp.com, or follow them on Facebook.
