Journal of Co-operative Studies 55(1), 38-48

The fall and rise of the small co-operative store. “Save our shop” - updated

R. J. Birchall

Journal of Co-operative Studies 55(1), 38-48

Orginally published in Society for Co-operative Studies Bulletin 60, August 1987, 14-28

https://doi.org/10.61869/XTSA2844

How to cite this paper: Birchall, R.J. (2022).  The fall and rise of the small co-operative store. “Save our shop” - updated. Journal of Co-operative Studies, 55(1), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.61869/XTSA2844 (Original work published 1987).

Abstract

The great test of a business, as of so much else, is time. When the book Save Our Shop was written (Birchall, 1987), both the idea of the convenience store which it analysed, and the small shop experiments which it described, were new. Generalisations were made based on what could be said then, but with the proviso that only time would tell. Of course, time in itself tells us nothing unless we are prepared to go back and study the same ideas, the same business experiments, to see how they have worn. The Society for Co-operative Studies has wisely decided not to let the book become fossilised in time, but has enabled me to take up to June 1987 a further, albeit brief, look at the subject, in order to update and revise what I said then. The aim is to provide another snapshot in time, of value to all who are interested, and particularly to participants at our Annual Conference in September. I have selected some important themes from the book and on each summarised what I said a year ago, and then added my further report.