March 2022 Update: Apparel Company Becomes a Co-op!

💜 Our 2nd Transition 💜

We recently finished transitioning Heritage Hill to worker-ownership. Located in Greater Cincinnati, Heritage Hill is an apparel company focused on Black culture.

This is our 2nd transition, and we're working on more. Hooray — the co-op model is gaining momentum!

From left, the worker-owners behind Heritage Hill: Janeine Williams, Brandon Z. Hoff, & Marcus Bethay

Heritage Hill's Story

Brandon Z. Hoff started Heritage Hill in 2019 after noticing a lack of diversity in the world of collegiate merchandise. He planned to supply apparel to historically Black colleges while also enabling students to make products for their schools.

"The goal was to unify the Black entrepreneurial community with the Black consumer," Brandon said.

Brandon learned about Co-op Cincy from a friend and took part in our Business Legacy Fund program in 2021. He was looking for a way to "participate in capitalism without being predatory."

The co-op model appealed to him because it centers fairness. "I really want people who work in the company to have an opportunity to benefit from the company."

Heritage Hill sells t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts that celebrate Black culture. Originally operating out of a basement, they moved into an 8,000 square foot facility in Arlington Heights this year.

As Brandon pointed out, the cooperative model has a long history in the Black community. "This has been very important for Black Americans, since there has been a history of disenfranchisement and discrimination. Black people have had to work together."

Heritage Hill finished transitioning to the co-op business structure in February. Currently the co-op has 3 worker-owners, with 2 people interested in joining.

The transition was seamless. "Co-op Cincy has been very helpful," Brandon said. "They came with a ready-made template."

In addition to expanding, Heritage Hill's goal is to develop some form of business academy or educational opportunities. "We want people to be familiar with business ownership and what that looks like."

Heritage Hill can support companies, organizations, and teams with whatever their apparel needs might be. Contact hello@heritagehill.co with requests or for more information.

Co-op Cincy is working to help more businesses like Heritage Hill become worker co-ops through our Business Legacy Fund. We support transitions via technical and financial assistance. Want to help us build an economy that works for all? Donate now!

Queen Mother's Market Holds Launch Party 🎉

Thanks to everyone who came out on March 1 to support Queen Mother's Market Cooperative at their launch party and fundraiser!

QMM had an inspiring roster of speakers for their launch event, which was held at Esoteric Brewing Company and received coverage in WCPO 9:

QMM is working to start a Black, women-led grocery cooperative store in Walnut Hills, a food desert. A Kroger store closed in the neighborhood in 2017. The full-service grocery store will be focused on affordable, healthy foods.

QMM is one of the emerging co-ops in our network and is partnering with the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation. As a cooperative, or co-op, QMM will be owned by the Walnut Hills community and its employees.

Want to support QMM? Donate to their gofundme:

QMM emerged from our first Power in Numbers, a co-op business boot camp for Black-led teams. We'll be offering another Power in Numbers in the fall. Learn more on our site.

Women’s History Month

Happy Women's History Month! This month on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, we'll be highlighting some of the women behind our co-ops. Our list of women-led co-ops ranges from Shine Nurture Center, a childcare center that transitioned to worker-ownership in January, to Cincy Cleaning Co-op, an immigrant- and women-led residential cleaning co-op business.

Actually, 71% of the individuals employed in our co-op network are women, and 75% of Co-op Cincy's staff are women. We'll continue to celebrate the contributions of women while striving to build a world that's diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Other Updates

Co-op Tour with City Officials

At the beginning of the month, we gave Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney (middle left) and Council Member Meeka Owens (right) a tour of our co-op businesses. Here they are with Tia Coleman of Our Harvest (left) and our Executive Director, Kristen Barker (middle right). Thank you, Vice Mayor Kearney and Council Member Owens, for spending time with us!

We have additional co-op tours coming up. Interested? See this questionnaire. Co-op tour dates:

  • Apr 8 from 12-3 pm

  • May 13 from 9 am-noon

  • Jun 10 from noon-3 pm

  • Jul 8 from 9 am-noon

New Symposium Recordings

We've shared the last recordings from our 2021 Union Co-op Symposium, which drew more than 200 people from around the world.

We recently posted the following sessions to our YouTube channel:

Thanks to everyone who made the 2-day, hybrid event possible! It was an inspiring gathering of social entrepreneurs, labor organizers, co-op workers, community development practitioners, and others with a vested interest in equitable economic development.

Deadline Nears for Cooperative Management Certificate Course

Applications are due March 20 for our Cooperative Management Certificate, which explores ways to align incentives and structure businesses in ways that make them profoundly accountable to workers, environments, and communities. Apply now! See coopcincy.org/certificate.

The 12-week course starts in April and is offered in partnership with Xavier University Leadership Center.

Subjects covered include:

  • Basics of co-op businesses

  • Intro to democratic workplaces

  • Case studies of co-op businesses

  • Organizational development

  • Participatory management practices

  • Open book management and Great Game of Business

  • Business and financial models

  • Team development

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