The Columbus Cooperative Newsletter
It’s with great excitement that we share the first edition of our newsletter, The Columbus Cooperative, crafted to inform, inspire, and unite those committed to building an inclusive economy. At Co-op Columbus, we are working to build a future rooted in solidarity, equity, and shared prosperity. Our mission is to empower individuals and communities through access to education, resources, and the development of cooperative enterprises. Our organization envisions an inclusive economy rooted in dignity and mutual support, that provides living-wage jobs, attainable housing, and sustainable solutions. Join us as we share stories, resources, and updates of Columbus’s cooperative network.
Today’s Correspondance Includes:
An Interview with Allied Coffee
Updates and Announcements
Co-op Resource Library
Co-op Columbus’s Call to Action Calendar
A Closing Message
An Interview with Allied Coffee
by Melanie Taylor
Coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s a ritual, a community-builder, and for some, a way of life. Behind every cup is a complex story of labor, history, and dedication. For Adam and Justin, coffee became the foundation of a shared dream– to create a business rooted in equity, community, and cooperation.
Co-op Columbus’s first interview is with Allied Coffee. Worker-owners Adam Chamblin and Justin Debrosse sat with our writers to discuss their contribution to Columbus’s local coffee scene. Together, Adam and Justin compose Allied Coffee– a name that not only nods to the labor movement but also asserts their desire to be “allies to the community,” noting how through coffee there are “small ways to have a direct impact.”
Justin cites a tour of local business Thunder Coffee as the moment that sparked his interest in roasting. At Thunder Coffee, Justin and his wife were given a demonstration of each stage of coffee production; the roasting, grinding, and brewing. He credits Jason Valentine for his initial education on coffee roasting, as well as for “showing him how a coffee business is run.” Shortly after returning home from the tour, Justin bought a tabletop roaster and began experimenting to see how different roasts affect the taste of coffee.
Fueled by the vision of making coffee more meaningful, Justin saved up, left his job, and in that time, welcomed a new baby. It was during this transformative period Justin approached Adam and proposed his idea: to start a coffee cooperative. This venture wouldn’t just be a business. Justin hopes it can exemplify
“equity, interdependence, and [the chance to build] something many would benefit from through worker ownership.”
When approached with the idea, Adam, who had spent two decades in the service industry, reflected on service jobs (such as barista work) as being “transient in nature… they are difficult to organize.” For that reason, the idea of worker ownership appealed greatly to him. He saw the cooperative model as a way to utilize his skills and find meaning at work. Justin mused,
“I saw him [Adam] in Clintonville and he talked about how he liked his work to be ‘mindless’ so he can focus on what’s important.”
To Justin and Adam, worker ownership brings a sense of relevance and investment to their work that in other business enterprises may often feel mindless or unfulfilling. To this point, Justin elaborates,
“Adam didn’t drink coffee when we started Allied Coffee, now he tries every product.”
Not only does Allied Coffee wish to create a more enriching work experience for working members, their additional aim is to create a more ethical brew. Coffee, a luxury many of us take for granted as something readily available, has a turbulent history, rooted in colonization and injustice. “When we make coffee, we are the people who do the last fifteen minutes of work, that doesn’t focus on the people who grow the coffee,” Justin explained.
Allied Coffee focuses on more than just the experience of folks in Columbus, but also the communities that provide the most crucial part of the business: the coffee itself. Allied Coffee sources its beans from cooperative farms that pay fair wages. They rely on local importers with documented experience traveling to and from growing locations as a testament to fair growing practices. They cite Doug Buckley, an importer who previously lived in Tanzania, as one of the sources of Allied Coffee’s beans.
Justin states: “There’s room to do coffee in a more humane way than it has been done in the past.”
So if you’re in the market for ethically sourced and worker-owned coffee, look no further than Allied Coffee of Columbus, Ohio.
You can support Allied Coffee by following them on Facebook and Instagram @alliedcoffee.
Want to see Justin and Adam in action? Are you in the mood for a good laugh?
Find Allied Coffee at the Hashtag Comedy Company’s Mic Night, March 10th, 9 AM-1 PM at 1253 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43201.
Updates and Announcements
Co-op Columbus is an active member of the Bronzeville Food Co-op Steering Committee that is working to bring a grocery co-op to the Near East Side of Columbus.
We are also a member of the Ohio Worker Ownership Network, a statewide coalition of 11 member organizations supporting cooperative and worker-owned enterprises across Ohio.
We are grateful for the robust cooperative ecosystem already existing in Ohio and were inspired by our co-op community at Cleveland Owns to launch our first Co-op Circle this past October. As the Co-op Circle continues to emerge, we are co-creating its direction with the clear intention to grow a stronger, more connected cooperative ecosystem in Central Ohio.
Stay tuned for our next Co-op Circle in February!
Co-op Resource Library
Here is only the beginning of the wealth of knowledge that was shared at the first two Co-op Circles:
Books
Many Voices One Song by Jerry Koch-Gonzalez and Ted J Rau
Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer
Mutualism by Sara Horowitz
Activating the Common Good: Reclaiming Control of Our Collective Well-Being by Peter Block
Community: The Structure of Belonging by Peter Block
Who Decides Who Decides by Ted J. Rau
Collective Courage by Jessica Gordon Nembhard
The Emerging Cooperative Economy by E. G. Nadeau
Articles
Medicine Hat becomes first city in Canada to end chronic homelessness
Occupy to survive: Brazilian squatters fight for housing rights
PDFs
Co-op Columbus’s Call to Action Calendar
Interested in what you’ve read so far? Here are some ways to stay connected to Co-op Columbus and support the emerging cooperative ecosystem in Columbus:
Join us at our bimonthly Co-op Circle!
When: Wednesday, Feburary 5th, 2025 @ 6pm-8pm
Where: The Citadel, 1761 Parsons Ave, Columbus, OH 43207
Locations per meeting are subject to change.
Have an upcoming event? Know of a worthy cause? Contact coopcbus@gmail.com to add to our calendar!
Closing Message and Acknowledgements
As we enter the new year, we are excited to continue pursuing an equitable, cooperative, and prosperous future. It’s in times of great uncertainty that community becomes paramount. We would like to thank our members for their continued interest and support of our growing organization, as well as the combined efforts of the Columbus cooperative community.
“We can sing together what we cannot sing alone.”
Ted Rau, Many Voices One Song: Shared Power with Sociocracy
Authorship and Thanks
Leadership and Vision - Keryna Johnson
Digital Infrastructure and Technology - Ben Jones White
Content Writing and Sourcing - Carley Weiler
Content Writing and Sourcing - Melanie Taylor