Gentle Strength…On the Brink

Gentle Strength, a pioneering cooperative founded 36 years ago in Tempe, is on the ropes. 

I am  fond of saying that independent businesses are often their own worst enemies, and it is my personal opinion that Gentle Strength missed a tremendous opportunity to re-brand itself as Downtown Tempe’s “Grocery Store” inasmuch as the lack of such a store in the Downtown was grist for tons of political posturing during the past decade. The sad irony is that a much(overly)-vaunted Whole Foods Market will move into the building rising where Gentle Strength made its home for so long. If they had only broadened their offerings a bit and marketed themselves to the neighborhood as a full-service supermarket. Then again, ask me if I ever botched a business opportunity…

In any case, this weekend Gentle Strength is holding a big blowout sale (see the article below). Enough traffic could give them the cash flow they need to bail them out. So go do your shopping at an institution this weekend and make a strike for a local cause.

Best regards,

Michael Monti

“Valley organic pioneer fights to stay open

Betty Beard
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 23, 2007 08:00 PM

Gentle Strength Cooperative, a 36-year Valley institution and organic foods pioneer, is having severe financial problems, and it may have to close if it doesn’t get help. […snip…]”