Regent Market Co-op Board member Harry E. Bennett recently wrote a piece for the Regent Neighborhood Association newsletter about how he came to join the Co-op and what he loves about the store. We’re sharing it below and welcome your stories as well! Email regentmarketcoopboard@gmail.com.
CO-OP STORY #1: Harry
Moving to Madison from a farm in rural Kansas in 2011, I was somewhat unsure what my new life in an urban setting would be like. Living in the Westmoreland neighborhood, we quickly made acquaintances with our friendly neighbors and settled in to explore and know Madison better as time passed. One of the early discoveries was the Regent Market Co-op, a small grocery store in a small business district in the nearby Regent neighborhood. I loved the size of the store with its packed shelves and meat counter at the back of the store. It took me back to the small family owned grocery stores that used to occupy the main street in the town I lived near in Kansas. The best thing though was that it was a cooperative and we quickly became members and started shopping there regularly. The expansion of the Regent Market Coop in 2017 was a great improvement providing for a much larger produce department, more shelf space and a large selection of craft beer and fine wines.
In 2023 I was honored to be asked to join the Regent Market Co-op Board of Directors. With a long history of belonging to and working for cooperatives I am familiar with the problems that a cooperative has to deal with. There is a need for the Regent Market Co-op to increase the amount of sales to keep the Co-op a viable part of the neighborhoods that it has served for so many years. Cooperatives are owned by their members, making them unique in the retail food world and exist to serve the needs and desires of the members. Regent Market Co-op has an amazing selection of organic and locally produced food and beverages, which is generally recognized as a trend that will benefit our food system now and in the future.
Madison has developed an extraordinary number of public parks, bike and pedestrian paths and other public spaces, and that coupled with the numerous Farmers Markets, community gardens and the neighborhood organizations all lend to the great community we all enjoy. I think the Regent Market Co-op is a part of that community structure that gives young and old alike a friendly welcoming place to shop for a fine offering of food and drink. If you are a member please consider using the Coop for a bit more of your shopping. If you are not yet a member, please come visit the Regent Market Coop and check it out. It is just a short walk or bike ride from the surrounding neighborhoods.
Regent Market Co-op, a neighborhood grocery store owned by the neighbors.
Would YOU like to share your story about becoming a Regent Market Co-op member or anything else RMC-related? Email the RMC Board at regentmarketcoopboard@gmail.com
Regent Market Co-op 
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