Investing
in the Co-op: Bob Greene
By Pat Vaughan,
from the February newsletter
 This
column begins a series profiling individuals who have contributed
to the significant fund-raising effort for
the Co-op’s move
to its new downtown location. The diverse, creative community of
Co-op members and shoppers will provide much energy, money, expertise
and moral support for this transition. We hope this series reflects
the unique perspectives of some of the individuals that have chosen
to invest in the Moscow Food Co-op’s future.
Bob
Greene is the owner of Book People, Moscow’s
hometown independently owned bookstore. For 24 years Bob has
experienced
what it means to be a downtown retailer; weathering the ups and
downs of the local economy, and ultimately meshing changing customer
needs with a long-term commitment to the community.
Book
People started out as a cooperative. The store’s name
comes from the book, “Fahrenheit 451” (the temperature
at which paper burns), in which people memorized books when books
were outlawed. Bob’s favorite aspect of running the downtown
bookstore is “Just being here and meeting people. There’s
little money in it but no ruts.” He finds the biggest challenge
is the extremely competitive nature of the book-selling business. “We
have to constantly strive to be better than we are, and not just
rest on our laurels.” He sums up what distinguishes Book
People from others by saying, “You’re a person, not
a statistic. We care about your heart, not your wallet.”
Bob’s long experience as a downtown Moscow business owner
gives him a thoughtful perspective on the interaction between business
and communities. “The nature of contemporary capitalism and
constant technological change seems to break down connections and
ties between people. Whatever happened, Moscow drew a lot of people
who have a stake in community. And they put their money where their
mouth is. Moscow is a pleasant place because people put a lot of
effort into making it nice. It’s about economic health as
opposed to economic growth.” He
references a recent newspaper article about economic development
in Orofino. An expert from Australia emphasized the importance
of how people talk about their town. Bob sees that people have
a lot of nice things to say about the quality of life in Moscow—the
university, an ice rink, the Co-op, and Book People, to name a
few. “And some say this is the healthiest downtown in all
of Idaho. So it’s not about growth for growth’s sake.”
Why
does Bob support the Co-op’s move to a larger downtown
location? (He was the first donor to the Co-op’s fund raising
program; before the official announcement). “First, it’s
important to have a good facility as a retailer. It’s a good
structure in a great location. And, that building was the first
outside chain store in Moscow. Now it’s like a local business
re-claiming a local property. It’s a strengthening of the
core downtown and will generate increased traffic to the area.”
Bob
points out, “If you really want an alternative to growth
at any price in your community, then a business needs to stay up
with current needs.” He sees more people who don’t
cook for themselves, who want good food, or who have low carb or
vegan diets being better served. He likes the potential for more
seating space to eat there, and just more public space where people
can re-connect and say hi to each other.
Economic
development is another reason why Bob supports the Co-op’s
upcoming move. “The most important aspect of economics is
where the dollars are spent. A lot of the Co-op’s dollars,
and its employees’ dollars, are spent locally. Then there’s
the potential for rural people to market beef, poultry, pork, produce
that are healthy and raised on local, small-scale farms.
Finally,
Bob remembers that 200 people literally helped move Book People
across the street to its current location.
He views
contributing
to the Co-op’s move as a way to return a favor. “It’s
a community effort. A community building effort is a way to build
a strong body. This move will mean a healthy heart and a healthy
body.”
Pat Vaughan appreciates that he can walk to an independent bookstore
and a food Co-op in Moscow. |
