 Consumers Cooperative serves the rural and urban residents of Richland Center. The co-op is a dealer of petroleum, feed and agronomy products and services. For more information about Consumers Cooperative, select from the following list:
...a group of men got together trying to find a better way to do business and service for themselves. As a neighbor talked to neighbor, the idea of a cooperative grew. They proceeded to draw up a set of Articles and By-Laws. They got permission from the State of Wisconsin and a meeting was held in the Courthouse on March 30, 1935. The Articles of Incorporation and By-laws were presented to elect a Board of Directors. The men who sponsored the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws were: Leslie Wanless, Buford Wilson, Keith Marshall, Herman Huth, and Charles Pugh. They were assigned in this work by Attorney E.E. Brindley. These were the charter members. The First Board of Directors were EE Brindley, Earl Wanless, Buy Welton, Louis Grassman, Henry F. Pauls, Charles Kolman, and E.R. Keller. The next business was to collect money for the stock. Frank Doudna, Poynette, Wisconsin was a great help in this matter. There had to be at least $1,000.00 paid in before business could start. On May 13, 1935 the Consumers Cooperative of Richland County was ready for business. During this period much help was given from several of the Midland Cooperative Wholesale personnel which had organized in 1926 with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the beginning there was a bulk plant on North Orange Street and a small building on South Central Avenue. The servicing of cars had to be done out in the open -- rather cold in the winter time. But business prospered and it was necessary to raise more capital. In 1937, it was voted by the stockholders to increase the authorized capital to $10,000.00. In 1941, it was voted to build a larger station. Two stalls were added on the north and another on the east. In 1941, the authorized capital was increased to $20,000.00; in 1944 to $40,000.00 and in 1948 to $80,000.00. In the latter part of 1947 and early 1948, a movement was on foot to start a grocery store. This was to be on the north side of the station. Some money was raised for this purpose, but before anything toward the building was started, Carl Barnes offered to sell the Krouskop Feed Mill to the Cooperative at a fair price. This also included a small feed mill in the Village of Boaz. This seemed a better thing to do rather than the grocery store. The deal was made and possession was taken by the Cooperative on March 15, 1948. The Consumers Cooperative of Richland County now consisted of two departments, the mill and the petroleum departments. With the acquisition of the feed mills, the volume of business more than doubling, more capital had to be raised. During the next twenty years the authorized capital was raised by various stages to $500,000.00 common stock and $75,000.00 of preferred stock, making a total of $575,000.00 in authorized stock. Before purchasing the feed mills, the station sold petroleum products in bulk and serviced cars and trucks at the station. A small line of hardware, auto accessories, tires, and even milker parts. Since that time, the milking machine business has become a department of its own in a separate building, along with the sales and service of furnaces and electrical wiring and service. The station also sold fertilizer and some groceries such as canned goods and sugar. In 1973 the apartment building east of the station was purchased. This was for future expansion of the petroleum department. In 1974 an addition was added to the north side of the station. This expansion practically doubled the service area, and allows for more storage of inventory for the station. Drums of L.P. Gas are also handled by the station. The bulk LP Gas is delivered by the wholesale branch of Midland Cooperatives, Inc. at Dodgeville, Wisconsin. With the acquisition of the feed mills, the fertilizer business was transferred to the mill and has become a larger part of that operation. In 1956 the mill started handling a liquid fertilizer called Nitro-Gro. This was 41% nitrogen. A large storage tank was placed on the vacant lot south of the mill building. Applicators were purchased for the application of the liquid. This was used mainly as a side dressing for corn. When the feed mill was purchased there were two mills. These were taken out and one large hammer mill was installed. New mixers were also purchased. A large storage tank for liquid molasses is located under the spur track that is along side the mill. The molasses can be pumped directly into the mixers for those that want molasses mixed with the feed. Then in 1966 a set of 16 steel storage bins were installed in the building next to the mixers. The feed from these was transferred to the mixers in a weigh buggy. This makers it easier and faster to get the mixing done. At the present time liquid protein is also handled. A storage tank is located in the main building. This can also be delivered in bulk to the customer. The mill has a small line of farm hardware and also some appliances. These are mostly handled through the Midland Catalog. A very fine assortment of livestock remedies can also be found on the shelves. As a whole, the cooperative has done very well through the years. It showed a steady increase in business until 1952. That year things seemed to go wrong and the co-op operated in the red. But from then on the gain has been quite consistent. Some years are better than others, but as an overall picture, very good. In 1951, the co-op started to handle a line of tractors and machinery. This proved to be unsuccessful and had to be discontinued. Co-ops are people. Patrons, directors, officers and employees. The patrons are the owners, and have been very loyal to the business. The directors have been loyal and dedicated to their purpose. The managers have put in lots of time and effort to make the operation a success. The employees are a dedicated group of people. They also have wanted to see the operation flourish. Because of all these people, the Consumers Cooperative has grown to what it is at the present time. This
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