by Anya Firszt, General Manager
Happy November!
The start of the 2023 holiday season. Time again to think about making plans with family and friends to eat and be merry. We have most everything you need to prepare a holiday meal that will win the hearts and bellies of everyone on your guest list.
Strategic Planning (from Annual Meeting)
The Board and management team has been conducting strategic planning work to determine what areas need special focus in the next 3-5 years. We have narrowed the list to three:
- Ensure the future success of Willy North,
- Become an employer of choice in Dane County, and
- Empower our Owners and shoppers on their wellness journey.
In tandem with these priorities, we have various goals—like improving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and deepening our commitment to our local vendors, community stakeholders, and our community—that remain important and we will continue to pursue.
These three strategic priorities were identified as being the most time-sensitive and having the biggest opportunities for improvement while helping us to further our DEI efforts. The Board has directed the management team to develop projects to achieve these goals and metrics to measure how well your Co-op is making progress toward them. Stay tuned for future updates.
Willy North Front End Change
Last month we installed self checkout lanes at Willy East and later this month we plan to do the same at Willy North—if all goes according to plan. This work will be started after the Thanksgiving holiday. Stay tuned for future updates.
Aubergine/1226 Williamson Street
Building approvals were more complicated than we originally anticipated, but construction of the new space is finally underway: concrete has been poured, and framing out walls is in the works. The classroom, meeting and event space, and gallery will be ready for use in early 2024.
Annual Meeting
To those of you who attended the Annual Business Meeting and Panel Discussion on October 5, thank you. Your participation in the annual meeting means a great deal to us. We hope you enjoyed the virtual event and found the information valuable. The panel discussion was led by Sarah Larson, Board President, with three of our local farmer producers, Beth Kazmar and Steve Pincus of Tipi Produce, and Tommy Stauffer of Vitruvian Farms. It’s a must see!
If you missed it, you can watch the video or read the transcript at willystreet.coop/annual-meeting.
Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report
You can expect to receive our last fiscal year’s Annual Report in your mailbox or inbox in late November or early December. Fiscal Year 2023 (ending on July 2 was a good year; we earned income, and we will be distributing patronage to Owners! Stay tuned for more detailed information in the next issue of the Reader.
Dates to Think About This Month and Next
- November 23, Thanksgiving: the stores are open until 2:30pm
- December 24, Christmas Eve: stores are open until 6:00pm
- December 25, Christmas Day: CLOSED
- December 31, New Year’s Eve: regular hours
- January 1, 2024, New Year’s Day: CLOSED
- January 2, 2024: stores open at 10:00am
Double Dollars
While many folks are thinking about what family favorites to serve at their Thanksgiving meal, please also think about making a donation at the register to our Double Dollars program. We’ll be matching the amount raised in November and December up to $10,000 and those funds will be shared equally between our five food pantry partners.
May your Thanksgiving holiday be filled with delicious food, loving friends, and much laughter.