Small Business Banter

How the Marino Rocks Community Coop formed and then rallied to buy their fav local cafe (aka meeting place) before it became another property development

Episode Summary

This is episode 4 of 4 in the BCCM series on Coops and Mutuals. The Marino Rocks Community Coop came about rapidly thanks to the power of a motivated and organised local community, driven by a stark choice. Listen to 3 of the founders talk about how they ended up financing the purchase, and ultimately taking over the day-to-day running of their fav local cafe (aka meeting place) before the building was sold and developed into apartments.

Episode Notes

Laura Willis Dr Ariella Helfgott and Christopher Mardell are founders of @marinorockssocial owned by the Marino Rocks Community Coop.  In this fourth and final interviews with #coop owners brought to you by @bccm (Business Council Cooperatives & Mutuals) we talk about how the #localcommunity rallied to buy a long-standing local cafe (and building premises) from the original #businessowner

The #owner had attractive offers to sell the site to a #propertydeveloper but instead sold to the newly formed #coop which ensured that the #business stayed as a central #localmeetingplace.

It's an inspiring example of #communitypower and taking the initiative to form the #coop and buy this critical local business. In our discussion we cover;