Lynch co-op hits $1 million in sales

The Valley Foods Cooperative grocery store in Lynch hit a major milestone at 5:42 p.m. Oct. 24, ringing up $1 million in total sales.

With the cooperative in a town of fewer than 200 residents, David Barnes, the store’s volunteer general manager, could not be happier.

“We thought it would take four to five years to get to that number,” he said. “And we did it in 33 months.”

With guidance from Charlotte Narjes, director of the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center, and Jordan Rasmussen, program leader for Rural Prosperity Nebraska, the store opened in February 2022 and has become a cornerstone of the community. Lynch had been a food desert for two years prior, so when the store opened, both the co-op board members and residents were determined to make it a success. 

Barnes recognizes that both inflation and summertime tourism have contributed to that $1 million mark, but he knows those contributions are only a fraction compared to local buy-in.

“We thought about maybe doing something for the person who put us over a million dollars, but it was really everybody who bought something up to that point,” he said. “Without the locals, it wouldn’t work.”

That local buy-in comes in many forms and is a key contributor to the store’s viability, according to Narjes, who has continued to advise the board. 

Russell Shaffer | Rural Prosperity Nebraska

“They keep engaged with the community,” she said.

For example, a bulletin board in the store acts as an advertising space for local happenings or for people looking to buy or sell items. The store also sells gift cards and provides food for local events, such as the annual hunter’s chili and soup dinner to kick off deer hunting season.

In addition to engagement, the store’s organizational structure has been integral. While the clerks are paid, the management team is all volunteers, as is the stocking team — locals who take an hour out of every Wednesday to help unload the truck and stock the shelves. Plus, the store has made sure to keep costs competitive with larger stores in nearby towns.

“We don’t have convenience store pricing,” Barnes said. “If we get too high on our milk or bread or bananas — that’s the first things customers look at — they might go (elsewhere). But I think they appreciate the convenience and the pricing.”

Valley Foods is not the same as it was 33 months ago. Before opening the store, the co-op board, with help from Narjes and Rasmussen, applied for and received a $200,000 Healthy Food Funding Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With those funds, the store has constructed a docking/storage area; bought a skid loader; installed a new front sidewalk and window; and purchased a walk-in freezer, furnace, generator, deli display case and equipment.

“They have really exceeded expectations,” Narjes said. “To me, that’s the story. They put everything into it. They did all the right things. It doesn’t mean that it’s easy, but they're continuing to work on it.”

Barnes would emphasize the “they” in Narjes’ statement.

“I want to thank all the stockholders, and the regular customers for supporting the store and contributing towards its viability, and especially the volunteer stockers,” he said. “People are the key.”