by Anne Van Couvering, Board Vice President

First and foremost, we are pleased to announce that James Morrell has been hired as our Interim Operations Manager. James will begin his role on Thursday, August 1. He will be responsible for merging and developing the operating systems of our two stores, Plainfield Co-op and Plainfield Hardware, into the unified Plainfield Co-op and Hardware. This includes overseeing scheduling, payroll, ordering, invoicing, maintenance, and vendor relationships.

We feel fortunate to have James on board. He has gained valuable insight into the Co-op’s culture over the past months and brings extensive experience in managing stores and overseeing transitions as a consultant. You will see more of him in the store as he shifts from part-time to full-time in a more hands-on capacity.

In other news, our search for a permanent General Manager has begun in earnest. We are also making excellent progress with our fundraising efforts, with less than $40K remaining of our original $500K goal by the purchase date. We also have a zero-interest loan available to cover any shortfall. Special thanks to Rose Paul, who has been working 60-70 hour weeks to make this happen, and to John Cleary and Andy Robinson for their tireless, competent, and cheerful assistance. And thanks to our energetic team of volunteers. They’ve all been amazing. We’ve pulled off a miracle!

We deeply appreciate the staff’s commitment and dedication during this leadership transition. Your hard work, support for each other, and willingness to learn new skills have been invaluable.

We look forward to the new opportunities this merger will bring, enabling us to better serve our community. From purchasing more from local farms and entrepreneurs to providing whole food meals on the go, to a Co-op hardware and greenhouse, we envision a bigger and better Co-op.