The Youngstown Nation store had a soft opening on Saturday, June 2, for volunteers who helped with StreetScape.
One wall on the inside
Another wall
You may purchase one of these buttons at Youngstown Nation.
Phil stopped by the Tod Engine yesterday, and as a result he will be carrying some of our Youngstown Steel Heritage merchandise at the store.
I am very excited about the grand opening on Saturday, July 7th.
He just announced it on FB. https://www.facebook.com/phil.kidd.9 (https://www.facebook.com/phil.kidd.9)
Rick,
Amazing from a community organizer to an entrepreneur, who was responsible for this morphing? A little capitalism cures everything I guess, wish him luck in the Darkside, "long live Capitalism!"
How is it Capitalism?
Capitalism = private enterprise businesses = for profit as in Youngstown Nation, Giant Eagle, Key Bank et al.
Private entities creating and selling merchandise with any profits and/or losses directly affecting only themselves. Sounds like capitalism to me.
Here is a guess, Youngstown Nation is a nonprofit. Any profits are placed under the category of expense and paid out and directed towards salaries and cost. A layman's explanation would be that if a nonprofit generates funds (profit), is consumed as expenses. If successful in generating more funds, the nonprofit expands with capital investments, improvements, higher salraries, etc. without paying any income taxes or capital gains. Yellow Creek Theatre (Town One Streetscapes) in Poland . the grand daddy of all regional outdoor movies is a nonprofit, but only raises funds through advertising on the bridge wall, it does not receive any funding from government entities, unlike all the other subsidized outdoor movies in the area. Point is, many times in urban areas, nonprofits are created with an eye on self serving salaries, one example from what I read is MYCAP.
If indeed YN is a nonprofit, it would be interesting to see who are the trustees and if any agendas are behind the scene. I'm sure Rick can add volumes to this post, the Tod Engine museum is a nonprofit. Another true nonprofit is the Iron Soup Historic Company Homes.
Here are the facts (taken from Youngstown Nations' mission statement on Facebook):
YOUNGSTOWN NATION STORE:
YN is a program of store's parent non-profit, Defend Youngstown. Youngstown Nation (YN) is a non-profit gift shop and information center whose mission is to support the local arts community, as well as neighborhoods, grassroots groups, and projects in the City of Youngstown. Additionally, YN hopes to provide small grants for neighborhood projects.
There are no commissions for outside vendors to sell their items at the store (100% straight profit for vendor). The store will be funded through sales of its own products, fundraising, private donations, philanthropy, and partnerships with other community organizations (ex. Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative).
YN's ultimate goal is to keep dollars circulating back into the local community and among those who 'defend' it.
We hope you'll support us!
A non profit organization can make a profit, but instead of it being distributed out to the owners that profit is held by the organization and used to further its purposes. In my case all of the money that our organization makes is plowed back into the site.
I like what Phil is doing with Youngstown Nation. I hope that it will be successful and that he has the ability to stick it out for the long haul.
Rick,
Are you paid a hansome salary?
No one in Town One Streetscapes makes a salary. I understand, the MVOC and YNDC have all volunteers and no one makes a salary.
Quote from: Rick Rowlands on June 09, 2012, 09:25:25 PMI like what Phil is doing with Youngstown Nation. I hope that it will be successful and that he has the ability to stick it out for the long haul.
Yep, I do too. Can't wait for it to open, as there are a couple of t-shirts I'm wanting to get my hands on! ;)
Me paid a salary? No, not at all.
What happens now?
What happens to what?
The store?
The store is fine, still up and running and successful.
I don't know if Phil has a part time employee or if he's still running it himself. But it is alive and well.
Going to be open weekdays by appointment and weekends all day, I believe.