May 2006 | Green Lines
CC’s look at local companies and sustainable biz
This month: Meeting of the minds at Madison Market, Wayward, onward in the U, massage as the message
By Heather Nordell
Central Co-op’s Madison Market (www.madisonmarket.com) will hold its annual meeting this month during which all 9,200 member-owners will be invited to review the past year and give their voice to the direction of the market. Member involvement for deciding what Madison Market puts on its shelves has become increasingly important as multinationals continue to buy out many small, locally owned producers.
“Members have the ability to direct decisions such as bylaws, products and how we run the business,” says Caple Melton, community outreach and membership services coordinator. “It is a fabulous community where people socialize as well as shop.”. Madison Market has a unique model and is one of the only cooperative markets to include union members. The market is active in a buy-local campaign through Central Area Community Sustainable Development Practice Circle and foster community awareness for local economies through participation with the Community Coalition for Environmental Justice. Madison Market has also expanded public education programs through partnerships with organizations such as Seattle Tilth.
The Wayward Café announces its 1st anniversary. Owners Dylan Alverson and Sean Thomas founded The Wayward Café as a collectively managed restaurant. Currently, there are seven members, all who contribute to cooking and management. The entire group makes the café’s major decisions. The U-district restaurant serves an all-vegan menu that does not use any hydrogenated oils or refined sugar (chocolate chips are the one exception). It was founded with a mission to create a democratic workplace and offer a comfortable place for their community to gather. A number of customers have started volunteering at the restaurant.
“This is a place where we break the barriers between customers and workers,” says Alverson. “When people work democratically, they are pushed to learn new things. It changes how you work with people.” The café also offers monthly art shows and a bike shop collective next door that was founded by Wayward members.
The only massage cooperative in the Northwest, New Seattle Massage (www.newseattlemassage.com) announces its 25th anniversary. There will be ongoing events to celebrate throughout the year starting with services offered at the University District Street Fair May 20 and 21. New Seattle Massage recently expanded its services to include acupuncture and online scheduling. The massage practitioner cooperative started with five massage therapists. After growing to today’s 35 members, they now operate through a general manager and a five-person elected board. The cooperative model offers each independent practitioner shared resources including a receptionist, marketing and the facility, which offers a sauna and steam room to their clients. General Manager Barbara Hersey says, “We are able to draw on the unique talents of everyone in the business. We have an egalitarian ethic that keeps us thriving and able to focus on the heart of our work to support health and wellness.”
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