Worker-owner Opportunity at 6th Street Books SF

A compelling opportunity to become a worker-owner awaits at 6th Street Books on 6th between Mission and Howard in San Francisco. What, you ask, makes a business opportunity at a book store in SF so unique? Give me a moment of your time. I'll explain.

First, I am unable to pursue the opportunity myself because I moved to Seattle. Had I not made that choice, I would still be looking for a chance to be a worker-owner in a capacity similar to the one Tommy at 6th Street is offering.

Below appears a recent dispatch of Tommy Strange's detailing his inability to sustain Sixth Street Books on his own, an invitation to enter into a worker ownership opportunity ...

I have lost all the big book sales since I haven't had the cash to buy new good stock each week.

The food sales are steady. But that does not pay the bills.
I will go into details for those interested as far as expenses and such, but basically the place needs $150 to $200 in book sales average a day to survive. I had close to that months ago.

So, I am going to close the place ....will last another 30 days...unless I can find 2 to 4 people with at least $10,000 in cash and credit to take over...and get book stock up. I will not be the owner then of course. "WE" would organise the place as the group sees fit. I can stay on as slave 12 hours a day for six more months to keep labor costs down.

thanks for all your support.

tommy

415-626 8969

In an email Aug. 16, he clarified that two to four people would need to pool altogether $10,000 to $12,000 total. I realize for some workers that is impossible. For others, savings has been set aside for travel, a vehicle can be sold, friends or family will make a small loan at simple interest for something you are going to invest yourself in as a part-owner of a business venture.

What is the big deal with worker-ownership, you must be asking? This is the U.S., where we work for monied employers or take out a massive business loan on an entrepreneurial venture. THIS is the status quo attitude, my friends, and you'll miss the revolution with that kind of thinking.

Think big, anarchists and progressive types hoping to carve out a niche for themselves in SF/Berk/Oak while fighting to make life enjoyable for everyone!

6th Street Books is a European-style community center in the making!

Local-scale, worker-controlled economic ventures are an international phenomenon, so the typical U.S. capitalist discontents don't usually leap to their feet with enthusiasm upon hearing about worker cooperatives operated in the midst of a corporate-dominated economy. If you ever thought union labor was important for the working class, you need to
read a book about Participatory Economics. Worker-owned business is every bit as important as your presence and organized participation in any WTO, World Bank or IMF demo.

There's a business license there: done. There's a food permit that's good into next year: done. Tommy has an arrangement with the building owner for the lease on the space: done. There's a space in the basement for ALL your favorite musicians, poets, DIY community educators, zine makers and pirate radio project developers. There are plenty of ways to keep the
resistance culture vibrant and alive in there as well as ways to generate cashflow and sustain.

I would go on at length about the possibilities, but I doubt I'd be able to stop. *Of course* it's an enormous commitment. *Of course* the risk is higher than most typical small-corporation business ventures.

If you can drop being a wage slave, THEN DROP BEING A WAGE SLAVE!! Go down to Sixth Street Books if you haven't been there already and talk to Tommy about his offer. Go to a credit union or bank and get information on a small business or business improvement loan.

This is much more than a potentially good way to make a living, a hip thing to do with your paid time or left politically savvy posturing. The community will be stronger if this place stays open, and every worker-ownership job carves a brick out of the wall of the monocultural megalith corporate capitalists would like us all to accept as ultimate reality.

The state isn't going to smash itself, so get up to 6th between Mission and Howard and HOLD THE FRONT LINE!!
Thank you.