by Anya Firszt, General Manager
Hello Dear Owners
December, the last month of the year. Before we wrap up the calendar year, we have a lot to pack into the next four weeks. This month we celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, and of course, the Solstice.
What’s on your shopping list this month? The Co-op has all your bases covered with a wide selection of fun and unique items and seasonal cooking and baking supplies to choose from to help you with your gift-giving needs and holiday meal planning.
Aubergine/1226 Williamson Street
The space has taken shape over the last few weeks; trenches dug for plumbing lines, concrete poured, electrical conduit installed and lines pulled, and walls framed. Drywall is expected to be installed in the coming week, followed with floor polishing, painting, appliance installation, and lighting. We hope to take over the space in early January 2024! Stay tuned for future updates.
Willy North Front End Change
The installation of the self-checkout lanes at Willy North is a go! The project will entail the removal of two registers and counter top to allow for the installation of three self-checkout lanes that will be located in roughly the same space. We expect the self-checkout lanes to be up and running the second week of December.
FY23 Patronage Refunds
Cooperative Principle 3: Members’ Economic Participation
“Members contribute equally to, and democratically control, the capital of the cooperative. This benefits members in proportion to the business they conduct with the cooperative rather than on the capital invested.”
Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) ran July 3, 2022–July 2, 2023, and it was a profitable year. We had net income of $452,000. This surplus allowed us to continue to operate on a sound financial basis, pay our staff a profit share (totaling $42,893), and now to return a portion of the profit to Owners. We greatly appreciate your help in making it a successful year for your Co-op!
Per bylaw 6.5, your Board of Directors has voted to allocate part of the surplus, or profit, as a patronage refund, a portion of which will be distributed as a store credit.
This year’s patronage refund is a combination of 55% retained patronage equity, which is money held by the Co-op in each Owner’s name and the rest, 45%, will be issued as a store credit beginning in January 2024. The 55% of the total patronage that is retained is reinvested in the Co-op and helps to secure our long-term financial health.
Those who are being issued a store credit will receive an email or a letter in the mail between January 6th and 13th detailing your refund. Store credits will be available (for Owners receiving one) at the registers starting on January 15th. You may apply the credit towards a purchase, request cash back, or donate it to the Double Dollars program. To ensure that only the primary (or secondary, for household accounts) Owner uses credits, you will be asked to sign for the refund. If you request your store credit to be paid out as cash you will be asked for a photo ID. All patronage store credits must be used by June 16, 2024.
If you prefer to receive notification via email, please make sure we have your current email address, which can be updated at Customer Service or via an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
FY2023 Annual Report
You can expect to receive our last fiscal year’s annual report in your mailbox or inbox this month (if you didn’t already get it at the end of November).
Moving On: Newsletter Editor Liz Wermcrantz
Our newsletter seems like the appropriate place to announce that Liz Wermcrantz, the editor of the Willy Street Co-op Reader for more than 20 years, is moving on to new adventures. She first started working at the Co-op in May of 2000, first as Deli co-manager then the Marketing Manager. After a short time in the role, Liz decided to take the Newsletter Editor position to dedicate more time to parenting her child, Mimi. In her 20 years of managing the newsletter (and other responsibilities), Liz ensured that we were communicating Co-op news to Owners while building many close friendships with staff members and newsletter writers. We will miss her and wish her the best in whatever comes next.
Upcoming Special Store Hours
- Sunday, December 24 (Christmas Eve): stores are open until 6:00pm
- Monday, December 25 (Christmas Day): CLOSED
- Sunday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve): regular hours
- Monday, January 1, 2024 (New Year’s Day): CLOSED
- Tuesday, January 2, 2024: stores open at 10:00am
Hoping you have a wonderful end to 2023.