For more than fifty years in the United States, Co-op Month has been celebrated in October, and Outpost holds a variety of events during that month. For its part, the Board of Directors has always tried to hold an event that promotes engagement between the Board and Outpost owners. For the last several years, we have sponsored a movie and a brief discussion afterwards.

This year, in an effort to promote more and better engagement, and to help support an author and cooperative advocate, we will be sponsoring a series of Meet the Author events. The author is Jon Steinman, and his book is Grocery Story.

Here’s a description of the book from the publisher’s website:

“Food has become ground-zero in our efforts to increase awareness of how our choices impact the world. Yet while we have begun to transform our communities and dinner plates, the most authoritative strand of the food web has received surprisingly little attention: the grocery store—the epicenter of our food-gathering ritual.

Through penetrating analysis and inspiring stories and examples of American and Canadian food co-ops, Grocery Story makes a compelling case for the transformation of the grocery store aisles as the emerging frontier in the local and good food movements. Author Jon Steinman:

• Deconstructs the food retail sector and the shadows cast by corporate giants
• Makes the case for food co-ops as an alternative
• Shows how co-ops spur the creation of local food-based economies and enhance low-income food access

Grocery Story is for everyone who eats. Whether you strive to eat more local and sustainable food, or are in support of community economic development, Grocery Story will leave you hungry to join the food co-op movement in your own community.”

The Meet the Author events have a number of advantages over a single movie showing. First, the events will happen at three times, and at three locations, throughout October. Second, on each date and location, we will be hosting a series of presentations, author meet and greets, and book discussions throughout the day. This should allow anyone who is interested in attending, an opportunity to do so. Finally, the content of the book is far more relevant to Outpost and its owners than any of the movies we have presented in the past.

Here are the times, locations, and details:

Mequon Outpost: Friday, October 11, 11:00am – 6:00pm: In-store meet & greet

Capitol Drive Outpost: Sunday, October 13

• 11:00am – 1:30pm: In-store meet & greet
• 2:00 – 3:00pm: FREE Book Presentation & Discussion with the members from the Board in the Community Room (light refreshments provided by Outpost)
• 4:00-6:00pm: In-store meet & greet

Bay View Outpost: Monday, October 14

• 11:00am – 5:30pm: In-store meet & greet
• 6:00 – 7:00pm: FREE Book Presentation & Discussion with the members from the Board in the Community Room (light refreshments provided by Outpost)

Food cooperatives have been the subject of intense pressure from the big box grocery industry. Grocery Story gets to the heart of what it means to be a cooperative and provides some context of the market within which they currently exist. We hope that the events will be informative, and that they will inspire a spirited discussion of how Outpost can continue to be relevant to its owners. Board members will be present at the discussions at the Capitol Drive and Bay View locations, at 2:00 and 6:00, respectively. 

Jan Pierce

Board Treasurer