Going Co-op, Literally

I'm writing early today before anything is known about election results. 

Last week I attended Co-op Fest, where many co-ops and credit unions I knew about had tables, but there were also a number that I didn't know about. 

I learned that these co-ops exist:

Minnesota Translator and Interpreter Cooperative – Essentially a worker cooperative, though its members are all freelancers. MnTIC interpreters have equipment to provide simultaneous translation in a range of settings including legal, as well as written translation.

ARISE Community Credit Union – Minnesota's first credit union to be founded in decades, ARISE is also the first to be based in the Black community. It's located near the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Colfax Avenue, and offers the usual services of credit unions (checking, savings, loans, with deposits NCUA-insured up to $250,000). 

Eme Coffee & Tea – A worker-owned coffee shop that is hoping to open by the end of the year. It's located in the heart of the Midway in Saint Paul, right across from the giant silver loon sculpture on University Avenue. The member-owners have come up through the North Star Black Cooperative Fellowship and I'm excited to see what they do with the location they've chosen. 

The Brass Strap – This is a hope-to-start-up lesbian and queer bar, established as a consumer co-op. They're raising money from co-op memberships and looking for a location, probably in South Minneapolis. They point out that Minneapolis has one of the highest per capita populations of lesbians and queer folk of any metro area, but no place for people to just be. The Brass Strap group wants to change that.

There were other co-ops I knew of, but heard more about, which others may not know of:

• Happy Earth Cleaning Cooperative – Just what is sounds like, except these house-cleaners are a worker cooperative.
• Minnesota Climbing Co-op – A climbing gym located on Central Avenue in Northeast Minneapolis.
• Riverton Community Housing – I knew Riverton was a housing co-op of student renters at the University of Minnesota, but I didn't know that more recently they have opened at least one building that is available to non-students. The Oliver & Wendell building shown on their website is the one, and they are looking to acquire more existing buildings to redevelop as co-ops.
• Shared Capital Cooperative – A federally certified loan fund that provides financing to cooperative businesses and housing throughout the United States. Located in Saint Paul, it has been in business since the 1970s. Individuals can invest in with Shared Capital, which in turn invests in co-ops.

Other participants at Co-op Fest were many of the food co-ops and credit unions that are basically household names in the Twin Cities, and that make this such a strong base for cooperative development.

Thanks to CoMinnesota for organizing the event!