A co-op solution

Dear Editor:Hopefully Explore Books becomes a co-op, a cooperatively owned bookstore owned by the citizens of Aspen. It is unfortunate that Katharine Thalberg did not leave an endowment for the bookstore that would offset the current earning capacity vs. the increase in value of the building (overhead) accumulated since 1976.I encourage Bill Stirling to use this opportunity to make Explore a community owned bookstore with each share selling for say $100.00 to customers and that his investment group would act as a board of directors for the non-profit cooperative.In this way customers could pay $100 to help increase capital of the co-op in order to receive a monthly newsletter and once-a-quarter sale discounts only available to members.Then, Explore Books would be a community owned organization with appropriate compensation to the general manager and staff.This kind of co-op is also needed if Aspen is ever to have a true organic grocery store – if “we” could only find a location for Explore Foods which would be a great sister business to Explore Books.Please encourage the idea of a community owned co-op form of ownership for Explore.Sven Erik Alstrom AIA Aspen