Update from your friendly membership board on the “marketing” focus this summer!
As summer winds down, I’d like to share a bit about what your Board of Directors has been working on. Regent Market Co-op is powered by the dedication of our staff. Led by our general manager, John, they keep the store running every day; stocking shelves, working with vendors, maintaining equipment, and making sure our neighborhood has a welcoming place to shop. Those responsibilities naturally leave limited time for broader outreach and marketing.
So this summer, the board took on several projects to help tell the co-op’s story. Marketing a neighborhood co-op is different from marketing a typical grocery store. Madison has many great places to buy groceries, and we’re fortunate to be part of such a vibrant food community. But Regent Market Co-op is more than a place to pick up ingredients for dinner. It’s a neighborhood gathering place, a place to connect with friends over a pint of beer or a scoop of ice cream, and a business owned by the people it serves.
With that in mind, we’ve focused on a few simple, community-minded marketing efforts this summer. First, we mailed postcards (see photo) to nearby households to remind neighbors that we’re here, operating, and ready to serve them. The mailing included a coupon to encourage folks to stop in, fill a basket, and experience everything the co-op has to offer. We’re still evaluating the results, but it was an effort to reach more people in the neighborhood.
We also spent time at the Monroe Street Farmers Market, talking with shoppers who already value local food, local producers, and community connections. We like to think of the co-op as a farmers market experience 364 days a year and a place where you can continue to support those same values long after market season ends.
You may also have noticed a fresh new look outside the store. After the UW Credit Union ATM was removed, an underused corner at our entrance was transformed into a vibrant mural thanks to the creativity of a talented Regent Market shopper and West High graduate. You’ll hear more about that project in a future newsletter.
Every shopping trip affects our bottom line. When members choose the co-op for their groceries, their dinner ingredients, their ice cream, or whatever they need that day, they’re helping keep this neighborhood-owned store strong. And when members tell friends and neighbors about the co-op, they’re helping us build the next generation of membership.
Our marketing efforts may change and ebb and flow over time, but we’ll always rely on our members to help spread the word and, most importantly, to choose to shop here. Your patronage is what keeps Regent Market Co-op viable and allows us to continue being both a grocery store and a gathering place for our neighborhood.
Thanks for being part of it.
Jordan
Regent Market Co-op 
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