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Commentary

Theft at Co-op poses risks to business

To the Editor:

The Co-op Bookstore. Have you ever bought books there? Have you ever stolen books from there? Did you know that they are close to going out of business? Did you believe the misinformed person who told you that they had lots of money? I did, although I never acted on my subconscious belief that it's okay to steal from the rich to give to the poor. But I could and would have, given the right circumstances.

So for all of you who share this idea with me and have been stealing your texts from the Co-op, I want to share the truth about the situation. The Co-op Bookstore is broke, too. They took out a huge mortgage a few years back to build that big, expensive building they are in, because the one they were in before had the upstairs condemned. Shortly after the new place was built, Borders Bookstore opened a few miles away and the professors and others began to go to this chain store for the lower prices. Then the college library began to buy their books over the InterNet. Now the Co-op has a huge mortgage to pay and is losing business. They have actually been asking their members to loan them money to help cover some upcoming bills.

The Co-op bookstore is a small, locally owned, cooperative organization. They buy and sell art made by local artists. They give their full-time employees health insurance, unlike most of the other small stores downtown. They sell all you students those cool cards and posters and books that help keep college a more colorful, funny and interesting place. And in the next couple years they might be replaced by a large chain store, rich and less colorful and less radical, if they can't keep their heads above water.

I sure do like the Co-op, and although their prices are too expensive for me to buy much, I still appreciate the cards. I buy the paint and the muffins upstairs at Irene's. And I especially like supporting small business (and small co-ops). The woman who dyes the silk scarves they sell told me about all this. Her name is Liz Burgess and she operates out of the back of Miranda Books. Real people with real lives are being supported by the Co-op, and they are the ones being stolen from. The members own the business, and they won't be able to keep it going without our help.

- Liz Churchill (College sophomore)
Oberlin

Copyright © 1997, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 22, April 25, 1997

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