A cooperative is one way for independent business owners - the backbone of Main Street USA - to prosper and effectively meet the challenge of chain store and big box competition. In the United States there are nearly 30,000 cooperatives that operate 73,000 businesses. These cooperatives own more than $3 trillion in assets, and generate over $500 billion in revenue, $25 billion in wages and benefits, and nearly one million jobs.

When you support a locally owned company:

• Profits remain local and are invested in the community rather than foreign countries or different states. This re-investment benefits surrounding businesses and the community.
• Local businesses support local charities, events, teams, churches, and organizations; owners, managers and employees are integral to and contribute to the community because they are part of it.
• Local businesses offer choices that chain or national companies don’t: they tailor their inventories and services to meet the specific needs of the local community which results in better service and quality to customers.
• Independent businesses are owned by people who live in the community and are committed to investing in it. Local business owners are much more accessible then executives of large corporations.
• Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in the community provide the most jobs to its residents.
• Local businesses hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers