Step 2 - Getting Started

Emergence and Growth of Community Supported Enterprises

This document, created by Norman Walzer and Jessica Sandoval examines local efforts by public officials and community leaders to develop Community Supported Enterprises (CSEs). This is becoming one of the more popular business models to retain rural grocery stores.

Choose Your Business Structure

This website, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, provides an overview of different types of business organizations.

Rural Grocery Stores Ownership Models That Work for Rural Communities

This document, created by Jon Bailey of the Nebraska Center for Rural Affairs, details four common store organization models.

Steps to Success for Small Businesses

This document, shared by NetWork Kansas, is a helpful and comprehensive information guide to establishing a new store.

Rural Grocery Store Start-Up and Operations Guide

This document from the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs is a helpful reference that details considerations for starting a grocery store.

Previous Version Available here.

Supplementary Reports:

• The Indoor Farmers Market Evolution of a Local Food Sales Model
• The Cooperative Model of Grocery Store Ownership
• Business Succession Keeping Grocery Stores Alive

The Invest Kansas Exemption (IKE)

When considering a community owned or cooperative framework, the Kansas Securities Commissioner recommends contacting their office for assistance with working through financial and legal concerns. The Invest Kansas Exemption (IKE) is a project of the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner provided in order to remove some of the regulatory hurdles for small businesses based in Kansas. This is a suggested “first call” before talking with others about public financing arrangements.