FAQs
Community
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Put simply, “community-owned” means our store will be owned by our members. Each person in our community who purchases a member share will have a single vote; no member is permitted to have more than one vote. Members appoint a board of directors and the board oversees the officers of the co-op.
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Many of us on the island wanted our store back, but we weren’t able or willing to take on the herculean task of running and funding it ourselves. It’s simply not easy to operate a small rural general store as a sole proprietor. So, we decided the only way we could reopen the store and keep it open for years to come was to share the load as a community. If we all pitch in — financially, as volunteers, as shoppers — we have the best shot at creating a long-term, sustainable community store. So we looked at different business and governance models from around the nation and settled on the most community focused one: a cooperative!
The store will succeed because the entire community will be invested in our success. As many community members as possible will become member owners in the cooperative. Each member will have a vote in how the business is run, and every member will be invested in making sure the store is a valued and valuable part of our island community.
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No! We welcome everyone to shop and connect at the store — no membership necessary.
Memberships are for those in the community who want to be a little more involved or invested in the store’s overall success. We hope as many people as possible become members, so that we have a large group of community members invested in the success of the store, but anyone can shop and connect at the store.
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A cooperative (co-op) corporation is an independent, democratic organization which is owned, operated, and financed by its members. Co-ops serve their members and benefit the communities in which they live by keeping more dollars in the local economy.
Co-ops are fabulous. Cooperation is, after all, a word that implies people working together toward the same end, mutually benefitting both one another and the larger community. Economically beneficial and socially responsible, these community-minded businesses make the world a better place—and that’s a beautiful thing!
We structured the Nordland General Store as a cooperative corporation registered in Washington State. We are selling member shares to any adult (18+) community member who would like to be a part owner in the cooperative. Each person with a member share will have one vote to decide who is on our volunteer board of directors. The board of directors will decide how our store is operated.
Cooperative corporations may also have investment shares (aka preferred shares) that can be issued to raise capital. These types of investment shares are non-voting but can receive dividends.
Our Plan
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We plan to open Memorial Day weekend 2024, in time for the summer season kickoff and our annual Tractor Days celebration.
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We will have a full-time, salaried general manager running the store who will be supported by part-time, paid employees.
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Our 2000 square foot store will carry a range of convenience and specialty food and beverage products, sundries, store merchandise and local crafts. We are committed to supporting local farmers, producers and makers. We plan to appeal to a wide range of shoppers from those planning to enjoy Mystery Bay cheese and Marrowstone Vineyard wine to those buying marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate for fireside s’mores to those craving ice cream on a warm afternoon.
We plan to offer beer and wine, espresso drinks in addition to regular coffee and tea, and a variety of soft drinks, as well as prepared and frozen foods and bakery items. All with an emphasis on local sourcing.
Our initial offerings will include seasonal produce and common items shoppers may need. Because no one wants to drive 20 minutes for an onion, lemon or garlic.
While we can’t promise to carry every requested item, we’d like to be as responsive as possible. Let us know if you have specific requests.
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Our store will be warm and welcoming with an emphasis on community. We plan to showcase local farmers, producers and makers with a focus on fresh. Expect an area of the store dedicated to recognizing community members and another showcasing community events and services. Our goal is a well-organized and easy to navigate store that reflects the personality of our beautiful island and the rich history of our island.
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We plan to be open seven days a week during the peak summer and early fall season. Our hours are subject to change, but the current plan is to be open from 8 am to 8 pm during the peak season.
During the off-peak season, we will be open five days a week for six hours a day. Hours still TBD.
And if we all buy more, we will be open more!
Membership
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A membership means you have ownership in our store and a vote in deciding on our board of directors and how our store is operated. Your lifetime membership can be shared by family members living at the same address.
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We all want our store back. We all want to have a say in how the store is run and the role it plays in our community. The easiest way for you to help open our store is to become a member. By becoming a member, you are supporting the store financially and you are receiving a vote in deciding how the store is operated.
And yes, we do plan to have member-only specials at the store. This could include special discounts, exclusive access to products, member-only merchandise and advance notice of store specials.
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No. You will become a lifetime member with no annual fee.
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A lifetime membership share is $250 per household.
Online: You can pay online by credit card here.
By Mail: You can download a PDF of the membership form to print and sign here. Please make checks payable to Nordland General Store Cooperative. Mail your completed and signed form along with your $250 check to Nordland General Store, ℅ The Board of Directors, PO Box 293, Nordland WA 98358.
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We want everyone who wants to be a part of the store to have the opportunity to be an owner. A full household ownership share costs $250, but if you cannot afford the full price you can apply for assistance from the cooperative. Fill out the Membership Assistance application form here and someone from the Board will be in touch. Please know that whether you are a member or not, you are always welcome to shop and connect at the store.
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You can preview the membership agreement form as a PDF here. You will complete this form and provide an e-signature upon check out when purchasing a membership online.
Fundraising
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The store is currently an empty canvas and we need to fill it with shelving, displays, coolers, freezers and other equipment. Then we need to stock the store with a variety of goodies and merchandise. The funds we receive from our community will cover the costs of building out the store, buying inventory and paying store employees. And to be sure we are prepared for any operating challenges, we need to have a small cash reserve set aside.
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The GoFundMe money was used by the building owners to rebuild the structure after the devastating 2020 fire. The building owners used both insurance proceeds and the almost $35,000 raised through GoFundMe to prepare the space as a blank canvas for its next occupants.
We are grateful to everyone who contributed to the GoFundMe effort! Without your support, the building would not be ready for us to create the next version of the Nordland General Store.
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Yes! Please do! As mentioned above, co-ops may also have investment shares (aka preferred shares) that can be issued to raise capital. These types of investment shares are non-voting but can receive dividends. Like other corporations, if there are after tax profits, our board of directors may issue dividends to preferred shareholders. If dividends are issued, shareholders pay taxes on the dividends they receive.
Currently, WA state residents who are members of the co-op may purchase between 4 to 100 investment shares at $250/share. We already have over 30 investors who have purchased preferred shares to help with start-up funding, and we are hoping to add 20-30 new financial investors to our shareholder registry.
The preferred shares, like most investments, are risky and have no guaranteed return. Dividends, if any, are expected to be small. Investments in NGS should be viewed as a long term investment in the community.
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A membership carries voting rights. Every community member who purchases a member share will have one vote; no member is permitted to have more than one vote. Members vote to appoint a board of directors (BOD) and the board oversees the operations of the co-op. Preferred investment shares do not carry voting rights, but are eligible for dividends.
Help
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First, become a member of the Nordland General Store. Second, encourage your friends and family to do the same. Third, get your shopping list ready for our planned grand opening, Memorial Day weekend 2024. The more you support our community store by making us a regular part of your shopping routine, the stronger our store will be.
If you have the inclination and resources to become a preferred investor, please fill out this form. If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the form here.
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We encourage all Nordland General Store members to consider serving as a member of our all-volunteer board. We have three, two and one year board terms with the first terms ending November 2024. If you are interested in becoming either a board member, or serving on a board committee, please fill out our volunteer form and we will be in contact with you.
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Email us at hello@nordlandgeneralstore.com to express your interest in working as an employee at the store. At this time, we are planning on hiring part-time employees to run our community store. All part-time employees will report to our general manager.
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Terrific! We plan to highlight the history of the Nordland General Store and photographs will be an important part of our display. If you have high resolution electronic images, email them to hello@nordlandgeneralstore.com. If you have print photographs, email us to let us know and we’ll make the necessary arrangements.
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We want to hear from you! Email us at hello@nordlandgeneralstore and we will discuss how to best capture your memories.
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Email us at hello@nordlandgeneralstore.com or fill out our donation form. We are planning to curate artifacts that represent the history and spirit of Marrowstone Island and the Nordland General Store. We can make arrangements to see what you are willing to lend or gift to the store. Display space will be limited, but we’d love to consider adding your treasures.
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Please email us at hello@nordlandgeneralstore.com with photos and dimensions. If your items might work for displays, we’ll send a store representative to visit you.