1 January 2019
Stamford ACE Hardware goes Co-Op
Stamford N.Y. - The long-established
and well appreciated hardware store in this quiet rural upstate
village has undergone a quiet transformation over the past several
months. Quiet, but momentous never-the-less.
The Railroad Ave. Supply Co. as it has been
legally known for three decades, and previously badged as a Western
Auto outlet, has been owned by the
Beisler family for over 50 years. Henry and Dorothy Beisler bought
the business in 1963. Their Son Ralph and his wife Susan
took over the business in 1975. This latest transformation brings new
ownership to this important community asset.
Last
year Ralph offered the business for sale and the
staff soon began investigating the possibility
of buying the operation themselves. Ralph enthusiastically
joined with the staff in researching how the transfer might be
accomplished. Having done their homework and made the decision to
move forward, the Cooperative Development Institute
(CDI) of Northampton, Massachusetts was engaged to help them with
the details of creating their worker cooperative.
“Selling to employees is a great, time-tested
way to preserve small businesses and the jobs they provide in rural
communities,” said CDI’s Rob Brown, who guided Beisler and
the employees through the conversion to a worker cooperative. “The
business owner is rewarded for a lifetime of hard work, local control
is preserved, and importantly, employees who have helped build the
business now have an ownership stake in the business.” Brown is
the Program Director of CDI’s Business Ownership Solutions, which
assists business owners and their workers in evaluating whether
transition to employee ownership can meet their needs.
On
January 1st the
former owner and employees, Stefano Bagnardi, Kelly
Chien, John Bonhotal, Ralph Beisler, Bob Shafer and Sarah
Weishar, became the new owners of the Railroad Supply
Co. worker cooperative. When asked what changes the customers
will notice, Kelly Chien replied “Customers won’t notice any
change at all – that’s the point.” “It’s
a great satisfaction to know the business will continue beyond my
tenure, said Beisler.”
Wayne Stinson
Rob Brown - Cooperative Development Institute
Contact:
Ralph Beisler –
Railroad Avenue Supply Cooperative
(607) 652-7103 -
rasco852@yahoo.com
Wayne Stinson
518-287-1463 -
stinson@midtel.net
Rob Brown - Cooperative Development Institute
(207)
233-2987 - rbrown@cdi.coop
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