At Green Top we love that we know our farmers and food producers. Thanks to Sitka Salmon Shares we can also get to know the men and women who sustainably fish and supply wild salmon for our tables.  As a bonus, a portion of any shares you purchase during May will be donated to Green Top’s Financial Accessibility Fund, which provides grants to families who want to be a part of Green Top but can’t afford to pay the full share price.

“Why does this salmon taste so good here, and taste so bad down in the Midwest?” That’s the question Nic Mink asked himself while living in Sitka, Alaska, during the summer of 2010.When he moved back to the Midwest (Galesburg), Nic started Sitka Salmon Shares so we could have high-quality salmon available in the Midwest.

This community-supported fishery model connects independent, small boat fishermen in Sitka with discriminating salmon eaters here in central Illinois.  During May, Green Top is helping Sitka launch a community-supported fishery in Bloomington-Normal.

The community-supported fishery (CSF) idea is based on the more familiar community supported agriculture (CSA) model, where members purchase shares from the farmer before the season begins and then receive a share of the harvest during the season. The fishermen provide high-quality, sustainably-harvested fish to Sitka’s CSF members, who pay in advance to help ensure the fishermen have a ready market and receive a fair price for their product.

If you are a Green Top owner, you will have a chance to taste Sitka’s high-quality salmon at our Annual Meeting of Owners on May 28, and you can purchase your Salmon Share that night.  You can also click HERE to order your share online.  Choose the West Central Illinois Shares option.

Thanks for supporting community-based food, wherever it might be!

Would you LOVE a GROCERY STORE that . . . Supports local farms? Puts a focus on healthy people and a healthy environment? Creates good jobs that pay fair wages? Keeps money in our community? Is owned by YOU and gives you a VOTE in its decisions? Then you should become a GREEN TOP GROCERY FOUNDING OWNER! Click here to fill out an application and pay for your owner shares.  (Monthly or quarterly payment plans are also available, as well as special Financial Accessibility plans for folks who want to support the co-op but can’t afford the full owner equity payment.)

Why become a Green Top FOUNDING OWNER now?

Because we need our Founding Owners BEFORE we can move ahead to secure a site for our store and work on getting it open.  Thanks to our Seed Starters, we have raised much of the money needed for feasibility and business planning work–but we can’t move ahead without commitment from our owners.

 The folks who become owners during Green Top’s early development—-our ”organizing” phase—-are special.  Without them, Green Top will never open (which is truly unthinkable!)

Recruiting our first 500 owners is a crucial step in proving we have the community support needed, and we can raise the basic investment funds needed before we move on to our next steps:

• Seating a permanent Board of Directors
• Selecting a location for Green Top Grocery
• Securing loans
• Hiring staff
• Opening our very own community-owned grocery store.

Our Founding Owners Will Play a Crucial Role in Defining Green Top’s Future.

Our first 500 owners will be the ones who elect Green Top’s first permanent Board of Directors–and will also be the first ones eligible to serve as Board members.  Our Founding Owners’ votes will set the direction for Green Top far into the future:  our values, our goals, owner benefits, and the products, programs, and services to be offered.

Green Top’s FOUNDING OWNERS share a deep commitment to the Green Top vision, and they are willing to take a leap of faith that says “I know our community can make this happen.”

Our Founding Owners share the vision of a community-owned, socially responsible business that is committed to supporting local farms and food artisans, increasing availability and knowledge about healthy locally grown foods, paying workers a living wage, and boosting our local economy.

As a Founding Owner, not only do you share the vision . . . you’ve shown you have faith and confidence in our community’s ability to make this happen. Even without an actual store where you can shop (yet!), you are willing to make a tangible investment in bringing this valuable asset to Bloomington-Normal, and we thank you for that.  When we issue Green Top ownership cards, we will include a special note on our Founding Owners’ cards, as recognition of your important role in Green Top’s development.

We know some people will not feel comfortable becoming Green Top owners until later in the process–after we have selected a store site or after we have opened the store.  We totally respect and understand that point of view.  However, right now, we need to find our “early adopters,” the people who will truly make Green Top happen.  If you are one of these people, we need to hear from you NOW.  Click on the image below to learn more.

 

Want to know more? 

Here are links to help answer the questions we get most often:

• What is Green Top Grocery?
• When and where will Green Top open?
• What are the benefits of becoming a Green Top owner?
• Other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• You can also send your questions to us directly at ownership@greentopgrocery.com.