Message From The Board August 27th 2025

Dear Members,

You heard from us this past Monday with some difficult news about our Co-op. To briefly recap, at its August meeting, the Board unanimously decided that with downward financial trends and losses, combined with a low amount of funds in reserve, the sole recourse was to work towards an ethical closure.  In addition to notifying membership, the Board is now consulting with its longtime general legal counsel, Nola Cross, in addition to identifying a lawyer who can provide legal advice on bankruptcy.  Further legal consultation will occur in the coming days.

The next critical step in this process is to invite all Co-op members to a Special Membership Meeting.  

The purpose of this meeting will be to provide more detailed information about the current financial status of the Co-op and present the Board’s proposed course of action in pursuing bankruptcy.  The floor will then be open to members to discuss and evaluate this course of action, as well as endorse it or propose alternatives.  

We encourage all members to attend and participate in this important meeting.  It will be held on Wednesday, September 10, at 6 PM, at the Falcon Bowl. 

The meeting will be opened and chaired by the Board President, and a facilitator will guide the presentations and discussion. The board will be putting forward a proposal that provides a clear path to closure. While there will be space for discussion of restructuring or other alternative proposals, it’s important to be clear that alternatives should involve a critical mass of people committed to implementation. Without that, the board’s proposal will remain the default path forward. Some resources that may be helpful for members to read beforehand are included at the bottom of this message.

While we pursue the next steps in the process, we want to reiterate that the Co-op’s hours and offerings will not change in the coming weeks.  Our staff and volunteers will continue to keep the store stocked, the café grill fired up, and the Co-op spirit thriving.  In addition to doing your usual shopping and dining, consider offering a kind word to the folks you see in the Co-op– we can all use more smiles these days.

We’re glad to have heard from everyone who has sent emails and we have read every one of them.  We know there are specific questions and we will continue to follow up in the coming days.  Please continue to reach out to us at board@riverwestcoop.org and share your thoughts, ideas, and feelings. 

We look forward to being with you on September 10 – and seeing you in the store and café before then.

In solidarity,
The Riverwest Cooperative Board of Directors

Alex, Amy, Flan, JJ, Wendy, and Wes

Resources:

Riverwest Co-op by-laws
Riverwest Co-op reports and studies
Wisconsin State Statutes - Cooperatives