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The Park Slope coop has become a much loved Brooklyn landmark and a great success story. Now, the concept is going international.
Two Americans, Tom Booth and Brian Horihan have decided to export this particular coop concept to France. The cooperative model already exists in France, from milk to cheese and even shops. However, the idea that to be a member of the cooperative, you need to donate 3 hours a month of your time to work in the shop is new. Park Slope’s success is undeniable, the fact that they have had to cap their membership numbers is indicative of this.
The concept is simple. The shop sells fresh, organic, usually fair trade products with a 21% markup from the wholesale price. In comparison, “normal” supermarkets usually have markups from 24 to 100%. All in all this means high quality products for low prices. Only catch is, to be allowed to shop there, you need to work three hours a month, sorting, cleaning, checkout and even administrative work.
The new shop has definitely been received with a lot of enthusiasm. Le Monde reports that “every mention of La Louve in the press brought their own wave of applications that the two entrepreneurs have decided to not divulge any more information about the store”
Regardless, La Louve is scheduled to open its doors in June 2015 in Paris’ 18th arrondisement and is, thus far, set up for a guaranteed success.
