OTHER CO-OP'S PROBLEMS
All Co-pcratives have their problems. An j
article appearing in June issuo of Co»op |
magazine written by Gilman Caullcins, pre- !
sonts the problcms'of I'ilaea Cooperative 1
Association Milaca, Minnesota, and tells j
hovr they arc being mot.
The Milaca Co-op has a modern, 2-story hedjd
ruarters, housing a self-scrvico food stoijo
auto and machinery shorroom,offices and a
lsrge basement room for drygoods. On the
second floor,an independent garment manu
facturing company is a long tor' tenant,
/mother structure contains the hardware
end farm supplies department. Around t ho
block is a camnlotc service station and
nctroleum headauarters for contry delivoryj
and throe sub-stations in nearby toms, jj
They also have a funeral chapel and arcbu- F
lance service quarters. i
Their first big problem, as o'ith most co- i
ops, is finance. The nc" building u&s built
in a high-cost-of-materials period, fork
ing capital is lor; and rccci.ablcs are
higher than desirable. Current liabilities
are loss than a fourth of current assets, 1
but total liabilities arc greater than
!L
cr.rront assets.
To meet those oroblens, plans arc in prcp4t
oration for a membership and capital drivcp:
to reduce mortgage debt and other payables)
so that the co-op mill be" debtfrec in |4B,j
Efforts axe being made for expansion thru;!
development of neighborhood clubs, monthly^
council mootings of club rcnresontati rcs, :
a Junior Group, and a Ladies Guild.
Promotion methods indv.de frequent letter j
ar.d cr.rd hulletins to members and patrons*!
and a steady schedule of advertising of
variously-sized space in the local ncus
paper. The fen persons rith anti-co-op
attitudes are no problem. Svery oppor
tunity is grasped to help such individual
to tetter understanding, but the public
relations program of the cooperative has
made it a very much accepted oart of the
com"unity. It participates in civic ac- j
tivities, the county fair, community pic- i
r.ics, Red Cross and other drives, and is
r member of the local Chamber of Commerce,i
Pricing,
are being
inventory and operation controls
intensified, rith a '’budget" of
month-to-month improvement goals, by de
partments, in percentages of gross margin
merchandise expense, other crocnses, op
erating margins, numbers of stock turns
and dollar values of inventories to serve
as a constant’guide. Frequent staff meet
ings are held, and employees and directors
get together once a month. As a result
of these efforts, Ililaca has a dynamic
community cooperative, on its toos and
r oing places.
efRW/Cf ANDIUWS M.O■
PHysicifin suRGEon
tALMtlt ■_ _ _
L'R. F. R. SIMS
DEnilST
PALMER ALASKA
CO-OP BARBER SHOP
HAIRCUTS
SHAM RODS
MA SSAGES
FRflnK HELLER
LuyflL ORDER
LODbE
' v W S' '
MOOSE
R10GSE
no 733
HAiL
I3STS 2nd and 4th TUESDAYS at 8:00 ?n
VISITING MEMBERS WELCOME
l
LOU'S BERUTy SHOP
PEBUI’ENTS
Cold ’Taves or
I'achincless
Logio or Lou
I Oil R HSFM
Take a little time off for
that fishing trip and
leave your laundry vith us^
IRENE
L t. PA K
HECKER'S BARBER SHOP
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
IN
KQSLOSKY'S FORMER
LIQUOR STORE
VflLLEy COB CO.
STAND - RON-DA-VOO CAF£
DON PARKS- --JALMAR KERTTULA
Tho primary job of o cooperative is to
build bettor communities. It is the
duty of each member to sec that their
co-op is performing this important func
tion. If it isn't, they should take the
trouble to find out the reason rhy.