For 45 years, TPSS Co-op has proven that a grocery store can be successful while putting people, community, and the planet at the center. Now we have an opportunity to expand our co-op into a new part of our community.
Ready to invest? Click here to sign our secure subscription agreement.
Good news! As of October 9, we have raised over $500,000 from 60 investors! And, there's still time to invest!
Why Open a Second Store?
For 45 years, TPSS Co-op has built a successful, values-driven grocery cooperative rooted in our community. We believe the best way to strengthen that cooperative for the next 45 years is to grow it.
Our current store is financially successful, but like many businesses, our expenses are consistently growing faster than our sales. Opening a second store will allow us to spread the costs of our operations across a larger business, giving us the scale we need to remain financially sustainable and profitable over the long term.
But growth is about more than financial sustainability. A second store gives us the opportunity to bring the cooperative model to another community in our region. We are excited to expand access to our store, support more local farmers and producers, and grow the cooperative economy. Click here to learn more about our Second Store Expansion Project.
TPSS Co-op is an alternative, values-driven model for doing business: one where people can own the businesses they depend on, where economic activity stays rooted in the community, and where financial success and community benefit can go hand in hand. Member-owners, let’s grow our successful cooperative! Invest where you live and with your values.
Why Co-op Members Are the Key to Growth
TPSS Co-op is raising $2.4 million from our member-owners through a preferred share offering to help finance the development of a second store and other long-term capital needs.
Opening a second store requires significant investment in construction, equipment, inventory, technology, and working capital. By raising capital from our member-owners, the Co-op can reduce the amount it needs to borrow, strengthen its financial position, and keep more investment returns within the cooperative community. Member investment also demonstrates strong community support for the expansion, which can help us secure traditional financing. Most importantly, it means we can grow by investing in ourselves. The Co-op has been preparing for this opportunity for years. Now we need our member-owners to help us take the next step.
"The Co-op is a good neighbor and a key anchor of our community. I'm passionate about supporting our Co-op and helping it grow. I want to share what we have here with our neighboring communities, all while making this essential institution even stronger."
"The flagship store is operating at maximum capacity - a second store lets us reach people (including new members & customers) who might not come to the main store, provide great local union jobs, offer awesome natural food, and expand the success of the co-op model in a world full of despair & decay."
How does Investment Work?
Preferred Shares give eligible TPSS Co-op member-owners an opportunity to invest directly in the future of the Co-op. Preferred Shares are non-voting investments. Funds raised through the offering will help finance the Co-op’s expansion, including development of a second store and other long-term capital needs.
The Preferred Share Offering is open to:
- Current TPSS Co-op member-owners in good standing AND
- Residents of the State of Maryland (Currently, the Preferred Shares are only open to Maryland residents due to SEC restrictions. We hope to provide an opportunity for non-Maryland residents to invest in future campaigns. In the meantime, non-Maryland residents can donate here [select TPSS in the drop-down.])
Each Preferred Share has a subscription price of $1,000, with a minimum investment of $2,000 (2 shares).
Preferred Shares earn cumulative annual dividends beginning on the date the shares are issued. Dividends are scheduled to be paid annually on or around July 1, subject to applicable law and any lender restrictions. If dividends cannot be paid in a given year, they continue to accumulate until they are paid.
Preferred Shares should be considered a long-term investment. Beginning January 1, 2031, the Co-op has the right—but not the obligation—to redeem Preferred Shares at the original purchase price plus any accrued and unpaid dividends. The Board may also choose to redeem shares earlier with the written consent of the shareholder, although investors should plan to hold their investment for the long term. Redemption may also be delayed if required under lender agreements.
Preferred Shares are generally non-transferable. As with any investment, Preferred Shares involve risk. Prospective investors should carefully review the Offering Circular and Subscription Agreement before investing. The documents below describe the investment, associated risks, dividend provisions, and redemption terms.
Dive into the Details
- Member Investment Campaign FAQs – This document should answer your burning questions about the investment opportunity.
- Offering Memorandum – Curious about the fine print? Find it here!
- Subscription Agreement – Enter your name and email address to preview the subscription agreement.
Ready to Grow with Us?
As community-owned grocery store, our members have always been at the heart of what makes the Co-op different. This investment opportunity gives eligible member-owners a way to help finance the Co-op’s next chapter while investing in the future of the cooperative we all love and own.
Two Steps to Invest:
- Complete our subscription agreement with your contact information and the amount you would like to invest. (Thank you!!)
- After completing the agreement, you will receive an email the following business day with information about how to send your investment payment to us. Send us a check or electronic wire transfer/ACH, and you’re set!
To support this project in other ways:
- Shop at our store! Each purchase keeps money in our local economy, supports local farmers and producers, and is a vote for a more people-centered food economy.
- Become a member-owner! Along with valuable benefits like monthly discounts and a voice in the future of the Co-op, your ownership supports a business model that keeps resources circulating in our community and puts people before profit.
- Consider joining our Board of Representatives. Applications are due on Thursday, October 8.
- Donate to our Second Store Project fund (select TPSS in the drop down).
Questions? We would be happy to chat! Email the Board at board@tpss.coop or memberinvestments@tpss.coop