In Isère, an independent grocery store located in Côte-Saint-André avoided closure thanks to the mobilization of several residents. The latter, brought together as a collective, will reopen the establishment in September, in the form of a cooperative.
“It is a place that corresponds to the values that we want to see exist in this village“says Guillaume Dubourg, a resident of Côte-Saint-André, in Isère. The latter, in the company of 140 other citizens, decided to mobilize to save one of the last independent grocery stores in this town of 5,000 souls.
A few weeks ago, Corinne Flatry, the founder of “co counter” decides to announce the closure of its establishment to its customers, having “been able to get off salary for several months“. However, the adventure had started well, “with a certain expectation from customers regarding local, organic, quality and bulk products“explains the shopkeeper. Then, the tumble with a falling turnover and the obligation to close this local business… Well, that’s what Corinne thought, because she was not expecting to receive such a wave of support from its customers.
The Côtois used to frequenting “the Co counter” have decided to do everything possible to save their business. As a matter of urgency, they created a group that today brings together 140 members with diverse and varied skills. In just one month, 5,000 euros have been collected by these committed citizens, through a jackpot destined to “replenish a stock of goods“with a view to reopening.”Everybody wake up“says one of the members of the collective.I have stars in my eyes” smiled the grocer,
It’s a wonderful, incredible adventure.
Corinne Flatry, founder of the grocery store
“We believe that the model of small businesses like this should not systematically rest on the shoulders of a single person who cannot make a living from it, but that a group of committed “customer-cooperators” can enable this kind of of structure to exist“explains the collective on social networks.
“Le Comptoir de Co” will reopen in September in the form, this time, of a cooperative where each member will take part in the decisions and will benefit from reductions if they invest time and money, “between 100 and 300 euros per cooperator” specifies Julie Magnea, “and in terms of time, that would be the equivalent of two hours a week or one day a month“.
The doors of the trade remain open to all volunteers. As far as the association is concerned, a first meeting will take place on Wednesday August 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Côte-Saint-André town hall. The collective would then like “have a list of interested cooperators before the end of the month“. If you are, know that a meeting will also take place on Saturday August 26 at 9:30 a.m. It is possible to contact the collective by email at the address: [email protected].
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