An Invitation and Call to Action from your General Manager, John Glennon
Food Conspiracy Co-op is commemorating our 50 years of Cooperation by completing a project our Owners and community have been envisioning for a long time. This project, dubbed the East Entrance Project, seeks to transform our Customer Experience by opening an entrance to the rear of our store and incorporating an integrated campus design to our properties with intentional green spaces and increased parking.
Through the East Entrance Project, our Co-op will add a beautiful multi-purpose covered courtyard for gathering and events, as well as educational garden areas throughout the design for increased community engagement. The Food Conspiracy Staff will benefit from this project with reimagined work areas and flows, and our store expansion plan will stimulate growth for our Co-op while creating new job opportunities for 4th Ave and the Downtown Tucson community.
At Food Conspiracy we are gearing up to achieve new heights for our Cooperative over the next 50 years of grass roots community work around local and organic food. You, our dedicated Food Conspiracy Owners have the opportunity to make the East Entrance Project happen for our Co-op and to experience the feeling of shared abundance when our resources flow toward a common vision.
East Entrance Project Capital Campaign
Food Conspiracy Owners can invest in the East Entrance Project by purchasing a preferred share in our Preferred Shares Program.
Invest your money in a business that shares your values.
Receive a return on your investment that is at competitive rate with other investment opportunities.
Experience the feeling of shared abundance in the Cooperative model.
You will receive a dividend on your investment EVERY YEAR!
After 10 years (starting the 11th year, but as early as the 8th year), we will redeem each Owner’s investment.
Example: a Food Conspiracy Owner invests $2,000. Each year the Co-op pays the Owner Investor a 3% dividend or $60. In year 11, the Owner Investor has made $600 on their share and they get the original $2000 returned to them, all while shopping in a beautifully reimagined Food Conspiracy Co-op store.
The Food Conspiracy Board is still finalizing all of the exact details of the Food Conspiracy Preferred Shares Program, but we are accepting pre-committals for the program.
Invest in your Co-op and attend our Owner Engagement Meetings!
Contact:
- John: [email protected]
- Andrea: [email protected]
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Co-op be closed during construction?
We will remain open for shopping throughout! Conspiracy Curbside will be in full effect as an additional option.
When will construction begin?
,We are planning for April 2022 to break ground with a Grand Opening in early to mid 2023.
Will we lose the trees and gardens?
We will be planting 77 trees, and garden and green space will be integrated throughout the design.
What kinds of plants and trees will be included?
We will be consulting with local specialists for the best choices for native plantings, shade, and food trees.
Will there be handicap parking spaces and accessibility?
There will be parking spots designated for handicap parking. The campus will be leveled considerably with ramps brought up to code for those using mobility aids.
How will the parking and store be more accessible to those with mobility concerns or who use mobility aids?
Inclines in the parking lot and within the store will be ADA compliant, doors will be automatic, there will be handicap designated parking spaces.
How will the crossing on Hoff be safe for pedestrians?
Hoff will be clearly marked and signed to increase safety for pedestrians to and from the store.
Have you looked into grants from TEP for the EV charging stations?
We will be pursuing grants for our V charging stations.
How many Customer restrooms will there be?
With so much to fit in we opted for a single Customer bathroom. But it will be located and designed differently for a vastly improved experience.
Will you be expanding the products you carry?
We will expand our Produce department significantly as well as some of our refrigerated and frozen offerings. Our focus for our center store grocery department will be to increase flow and ease of shopability rather than expanding our product selection dramatically.
How many cash registers will you have?
We will have a total of 6 registers: 2 at the front entrance, 2 at the rear entrance, and 2 for designed for “grab and go” purchases
How will the new design impact Staff?
The new design will vastly improve Staff experiences by reimagining work spaces to increase flow, increase the ways we can support Customers, maintain the current number of Staff, and potentially increase wage possibilities based on the pro forma for the next 10 years post-East EntranceProject.
How will you pay for this?!
A combination of cash reserves, bank loan, and a Preferred Shares program.
How do we know that this is a good idea?!
Over the past two years we have been working with financial experts, local architects, and consultants. We had two pro formas drawn up: one considering an East Entrance Project and one proceeding forward with no East Entrance. While we would be fine either way, the pro forma for the no East Entrance Project results in an experience of stagnation,whereas following through with the project shines clearly as a tolerant level of risk, with a clear experience of potential growth.
How can I help?
As an Owner you are eligible to invest in the Preferred Shares Program.