The cooperative model in the context of food retail offers a pathway toward a form of liberation—a way for communities to integrate food systems into their neighborhoods while uplifting groups that have historically been left out. Weaver Street Market Cooperative as a case study shows how that approach functions as a kind of measuring tool: it has created a framework for economic development that other organizations could use to assess where they align, where they fall short, what can be measured, and what cannot. While it is by no means a perfect model, Weaver Street is working to integrate not only fundamental cooperative principles into its business model but also incorporating systems of equity and inclusion to broaden its reach within the state of North Carolina. Weaver Street has successfully ingrained itself into two historic mill town's downtowns and is now turning to Charlotte to participate in a project that will bring affordable housing, accessible food, and community place making to the Historic West End of Charlotte – a historically black neighborhood that has experienced a lack of grocery access for nearly forty years. Through the lens of systems thinking, this paper will look at the partnership between Weaver Street Market Cooperative and Charlotte’s Historic West End Partners. Within that context, this project asks the following primary research questions: How does Weaver Street Market Cooperative function within and reshape the local and regional food system in Charlotte’s Historic West End? How might those actions ensure WSM’s success in this setting, as part of lessons learned from the opening of a location in downtown Raleigh that has proven to be a less successful endeavor over the last five years? How much can stakeholder buy- in affect the launch of a new development project? The intended audience includes people interested in understanding how food systems can and should be more fully integrated into public planning, building and city development, as well as individual organizations seeking a blueprint for how they might pursue this work themselves.
EmJ Jakubowics (Sat,) studied this question.