The Business Model

The Membership System:

The Isla Vista Co-Op is a generational business. It does not have one owner which is very different than any other business in the Santa Barbara County. The technical term for its business model is a consumer co-op or community-owned grocery store.

According to the Co-Op’s website, the consumer co-op is a business, owned and controlled by the people who use the service. The co-op started specifically to fill a niche for Isla Vista where people wanted access to a quality food they were not already getting. College students and community members are able to own a part of the store by buying a share, which is a refundable investment into the store. This gives them an opportunity to have an active role in how the business is stewarded. This process is similar to buying stock, however the stock never changes in value unless the Co-Op fails.