Why Members Matter By Bob Gibson The TPSS Food Co-op has been serving our community for more than 40 years, beginning in our original small store in Silver Spring, and over the past 25, at our current location on Ethan Allen Avenue in Takoma Park. …
Who Decides to Run for the TPSS Board of Representatives?
By Bob Gibson, President, TPSS What motivated you to become one of more than 11,000 people to become member-owners of the Co-op since our doors opened in 1981? First and foremost, it’s likely an economic choice. You enjoy shopping at the Co-op, and you want …
Board Updates – August 2021
8/13/2021 by Bob Gibson Renewing the Contract of GM Mike Houston The TPSS Board of Representatives is pleased to announce that Mike Houston has agreed to a new contract to continue serving as the General Manager of the Co-op for another three years, beginning September …
Affordable Options – How the Co-op Works To Maintain A Diverse Supply of Fairly-Priced Goods
By Bob Gibson Due to our small footprint, and our focus on healthy, organic, and locally-sourced foods, TPSS Co-op may never be known as the lowest cost food store in the D.C. area. But Co-op staff work hard to find and provide products throughout the …
The Role of Food Co-operatives in Responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Highlights from the June 2020 Consumer Cooperative Management Association (CCMA) Conference Bob Gibson, TPSS Co–op Board Member The Covid-19 pandemic has posed significant economic and operational challenges to the co-operative grocery business in the U.S. At the same time, the crisis has brought renewed attention …
Why Is the Co-op Out of Some of My Favorite Items?
By Bob Gibson The Covid-19 pandemic first hit the TPSS Food Co-op and other grocery stores like a force of nature. The wave of panic buying was similar to what happens ahead of a blizzard, as shelves emptied of toilet paper, bread, milk, and bottled …
Beyond the Jug: Why Buying Milk at the Co-op Matters
Bob Gibson At a recent visit to the Co-op, a shopper in line behind me set two half-gallons of Trickling Springs milk onto the checkout counter. I asked her why she chose that brand. “My family loves this milk and we really like the returnable glass …
We’re “For Service” Not “For Profit”
Bob Gibson During last year’s heated debates about the future of the city owned lot at Takoma Junction, I was particularly struck by the repeated description of the TPSS Food Co-op as a “for-profit” business. This characterization was used in dismissing the notion that the …