Worker cooperatives may be found in almost any industry, from restaurants and bakeries to printers and taxi cab companies. The Oneota Co-op is a consumer cooperative, which means that ownership is achieved by purchasing a share in the business and exercised by patronizing the store and voting. The membership elects its board of directors to hire, guide and evaluate the management, which is in charge of running the operation of the business. Consumer cooperatives are very different from privately-owned discount clubs, which charge an annual fee in exchange for a discount on purchases. This is a marketing device that is quite successful at capturing repeat business.
Discounts are only a minor part of the cooperative way.
The overall goal of the cooperative movement is to create organizations that serve the needs of the people who use them. About Co-ops to top Members can receive an additional discount on their purchases by working in the store for 2 or 4 hours per month. A manager will always be on hand to tell you what to do.