Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-07-14
Observation-Disclosures
A COOPERATIVE TOWN.
Observation-Disclosures

Maynard, Massachusetts, almost
earns the right to be called a CO.
operative town. Cedric Long of The
Cooperative League visited it recent
ly and found that in this little village
with a population of about 1000,
there are four consumers co-opera-
tive stores, three bakeries, two butch
er shops, and flourishing restaurant.
These "co-ops" do an annual business
of 100000. They employ fifty men
and women. Three of the societies
own their own buildings, as well as
considerable land which is being held
for further expansion of their enter
prises. Service, not profit" is the
slogan of each of these co-operatives.
The Riverside Cooperative Society
is now IA years old. 1t handles groc-
cries, meats, hardware, drygoods,
candies, etc., for the English speaking
population of Maynard. 1t does a
business of 81 900 a week. Even I'M
der bad business conditions such as
are prevailing at present, it has been
able to save its members SO On their
purchases.
The International Cooperative As
ISOLATION has membership made up
of Poles, Russians and Lithuanians.
This society conducts a grocery and
bakery business which also takes in
about 1000 week.
The First National Cooperative
Association supplies groceries, meats,
milk, general merchandise and bakery
products from its own bakery. Each
week it does nearly $4,000 worth of
business
The largest society in Maynard is
the United Cooperative Society,
affiliated with The Cooperative
League, with headquarters in New
York. 1t is Finnish group with 500
members. 1t does business of $4,-
600 week, selling groceries, meats,
| general merchandise and furniture,
and operating a milk distributing de-
partment, large bakery and restau-
rant. Wholesome, tasty meals are
furnished to members at an average
of 40 cents meal. A surplus of ST.
400 was earned in the last four
months from the operation of this
restaurant, although an experienced
manager of such a business run I'M
der private control would expecs to
lose twice that amount If he should
serve such meals as these at such a
price.
This society supplies its members
with 1000 quarts of milk daily, at
nine cents quart. Trey pay farm
ers Z cents, and the cents differ
ence barely covers the cost of bottling
and delivery. No money is eaved
from the dairy business by this So
ciety, but it is performing a great
service for the people of Maynard.
Because OF the rock-bottom price for
pure milk charged by the Scoop" all
the other dealers in town have had to
come down to 10 cents. In fact, the
milk dealers association a year ago
tried to put the cooperative milk
dealers out of business by selling
their milk below 9 cents for a while.
But within few weeks, they lost
$4,000 in this iruitless effort. and
gained healthy respect for the
efficient methods of the co-operators
whom they were fighting.
The co-operatives in this little IN
dustrial iowa of Maynard are demo-
cratically supplying almost every type
of merchandise needed by their mem
bers. They are administer ng the
peoples business for the benefit of
all, rather than for the profit of he
few butchers, bakers and candle
stick makers.