We all experienced the excitement at our January 2020 gathering where it was announced that a relocation to the Wilson’s Department store building was being explored for the expansion of Green Fields Market. None of us were aware at that time of the dramatic social and financial disruption that would be created by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic only one month later.
In the intervening months, FCC staff have performed heroically to keep both of our stores open and providing essential services and food to our community. Store operations have, of necessity, been substantially altered and there has been significant impact on our business. Admirable creativity on the part of management and staff have helped enormously to weather this crisis and the federal Paycheck Protection Program loan provided an additional cushion. Every effort is being made to ensure continuity of services, but sales have been as unpredictable as the pandemic, making it challenging to offer stable near and long-term financial projections. We’ve appreciated the unflagging support of the membership as we’ve worked together to face these challenges–your kind words have meant a lot to our frontline staff!
As a result of these changing circumstances, future expansion plans require a fresh assessment. In light of this reassessment, we have allowed our initial LOI (Letter of Intent) with Wilson’s to expire, freeing us to pursue other options, while leaving the door open to exploring the Wilson’s location as a possibility. The core reasons to continue to seek GFM expansion remain valid, and have further been underscored by current events:
- Continued sustained sales growth is our most viable option to stabilize the organization.
- Our current facilities do not have the capacity to maintain the necessary consistent level of growth.
- Our current rate of income does not produce sufficient capitalization for required facility and equipment upgrades.
- Austerity measures don’t align with our values and would likely cause a downward spiral of slashing costs and collapsing revenue.
- Store size limits customer capacity.
- Lack of selection restricts likelihood of one-stop shopping.
- Lack of space for back stock increases risks from supply chain disruptions.
The challenge of coping with the pandemic has strengthened staff capabilities and resilience. Initiatives to rebuild the economy could also result in lending opportunities to help fund expansion, as they have helped in the form of payroll protection loans.
In summation, we are continuing to explore all possible GFM expansion options in accordance with previous member-owner input which stipulates that the search will remain focused on opportunities in downtown Greenfield. Staff are continuing their inventive efforts to increase and adjust services and goods at our current facilities in response to community needs and concerns. (The new Takeout program and outdoor dining area are great examples of this creative flexibility!) Consistent member-owner patronage will also be essential to help us thrive and work toward an expanded GFM. We remain excited about being part of the solution as downtown Greenfield and Franklin County navigate these challenging times. The same excitement that was evident at our last group gathering can still be felt in the ways that we continue to rise to these unprecedented times together–we feel confident that our cooperative future remains bright!