The Co-op Service records, 1936-1989

Overview of the Collection

Title
The Co-op Service records
Dates
1936-1989 (inclusive)
Quantity
16 boxes, (8 linear feet)
Collection Number
UUS_MSS COLL 343
Summary
This collection contains records of the Co-op Service Company, a Salt Lake City consumer cooperative organized in 1941.
Repository
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

The Co-op Service, a chain of gas stations, was originally incorporated in 1941, as a subsidiary of Utah Cooperative Association (UCA), under the name of Salt Lake Consumer Co-op Service. In 1959 the Articles of Incorporation were amended, changing the name of the cooperative to Co-op Service. (A cooperative is a business owned and controlled by the people who use its services.) Within three weeks of deciding to open a cooperative, UCA had leased the land on Seventh South and Main Street, Salt Lake City, and remodeled the existing building. The cooperative opened for business February 28, 1941 with thirty-seven dollars of net worth and five-thousand dollars in borrowed assets. The first station was equipped with four gasoline pumps, an outdoor wash rack, and hoist to provide basic car care, lube and tire services to consumers. Fifteen years later the Co-op moved to Roberta Street and Ninth South. Three more Co-op stations opened in Bountiful, Orem and along Redwood Road. All four stations served as official state vehicle safety inspection stations.

Membership in the Co-op association is evidenced by a stock certificate. Benefits of membership entitled each stockholder to one vote at the annual election meetings and an annual cash refund at the years end. Members received a monthly newspaper which recorded the Co-op's activities and offered helpful tips about car maintenance, including winterization, lighting and tire varieties. Additionally, members participated in cooperative contests, dinners and promotional meetings.

In June 1964, because of continuous low sales, the Orem station shut down. In 1973 the OPEC oil crisis caused the price of crude oil to triple and, consequently, unprecedented inflation followed. These economic forces increased the cost of operation at the service stations and the Co-op lost too much money to recover their profits. By 1981 the Co-op was taking steps to liquidate the service stations and minimize financial losses. The Bountiful station and Redwood Road station were sold in 1983. The Ninth South station in Salt Lake City was sold in 1986. The Board of Directors remained intact until the sales were finalized in 1989.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains records of the Coop Service Company, a Salt Lake City consumer cooperative organized in 1941. Materials from Co-op Service include origination documents, stock and membership lists, annual reports, meeting minutes and financial records from 1936-1989.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the The Co-op Service records must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: The Co-op Service records USU_MSS COLL 343, box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations: USU_MSS COLL 343, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Processing Note

Processed in July of 2009.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives by Robert Bennion in 1990. Robert Bennion served as the last president of the Co-op Service.

Related Materials

Utah Cooperative AssociationColl Mss 129

Custodial History

This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives by Robert Bennion in 1990. Robert Bennion served as the last president of Coop Service.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Material relating to Co-op History, Personnel and Financial Record, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 1

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Business license and permits
undated
1 2
Co-op Service Newspaper Accelerator
1957-1964
1 3
Employee Photographs and Biographical Facts
undated
1 4
Station and Group Employee Photographs
undated
1 5
Bountiful Financial Statements
1957-1959
1 6
Geneva Association Financial Statements
1953-1961
1 7
Husky Station Papers and Deeds.
undated
1 8
Salt Lake City Station Financial Statements
undated
1 9
Centerville Notes and Certificates.
undated
1 10
Chris Birch.
undated
1 11
Phil Fergusen Lawsuit
undated
1 12
Marjorie Waite Wall
undated
1 13
Co-op Court Cases
undated
1 14
Dale Mann, Lost Certificate Bond
undated
1 15
Bonds
undated

General Files relating to Co-op Membership and Financial Record, 1979-1981, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 2

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
2 1
Membership Lists
undated
2 2
Member Interest Payments
undated
2 3
Deeds
undated
2 4
Co-op News Mailing List
undated
2 5
CENEX Insurance and Defaulted Bank Deposits
undated
2 6
Leases
undated
2 7
Misc. General Files
undated
2 8
Farmers Union Credit Union
undated
2 9
Farmers Union Credit Union and CENEX
undated
2 10
Documents and Policies after Merger
undated
2 11
State Insurance Fund
undated
2 12
Co-op Service Taxes
undated
2 13
Utah State Tax Check Stubs
1979-1980
2 14
Miscellaneous Taxes
1980
2 15
Federal Tax Returns
1979-1981

General Files relating to Co-op Financial Record, 1961-1981Return to Top

Container(s): Box 3

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 1
Sales Account Book
1977
3 2
Coop Land Titles
undated
3 3
Stephan A. Regan Property
undated
3 4
ASAP Enterprises
undated
3 5
Missing Deposits and Membership Activity
undated
3 6
Photocopies of 6% Renewable Savings Certificates
undated
3 7
Certificate of Interest Analysis
1980
3 8
Accrued Interest Rate
1961-1981
3 9
Expense Book
undated

Annual Reports and Minutes, 1947-1977Return to Top

Container(s): Box 4

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
4 1
Annual Member Meeting Minutes
1960-1964
4 2
Annual Member Meeting Minutes
1947-1959
4 3
Board of Directors Minutes, Reports and Financial Income Tax Returns
1948-1957
4 4
Financial Statements
1961-1977
4 5
Board of Directors Minutes, Reports and Financial Income Tax Returns
1963
4 6
Board of Directors Minutes, Reports and Financial Income Tax Returns
1965

Annual Reports and Minutes, 1966-1979Return to Top

Container(s): Box 5

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
5 1-13
Board of Directors Minutes, Reports and Financial Income Tax Returns
(Missing 1972)
1966/1979

Annual Reports and Minutes, 1980-1989Return to Top

Container(s): Box 6

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
6 1-9
Board of Directors Minutes, Reports and Financial Income Tax Returns
(Missing 1987)
1980-1989

Income Tax Returns, 1950-1982Return to Top

Container(s): Box 7

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
7 1-4
Income Tax Returns
(Missing 1953 and 1957)
1950-1982

Meeting Minutes and Balance Book, 1958-1977Return to Top

Container(s): Box 8

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
8 1
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
1958-1964
8 2
Coop Balance Book
1958-1977

Loan Capital Certificates, 1936-1969Return to Top

Container(s): Box 9

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
9 1
Misc. Certificates of Interest
undated
9 2
Bureau Supply Association Certificate of Interest, No. 1-121
1936-1969
9 3
4 ½ Loan Capital Certificates, No. 1-15
1957-1964
9 4
Series B Loan Capital Certificates, 1-12
1955-1956
9 5
Series A Loan Capital Stock Certificates, 1-84
1948-1956
9 6
Series A Loan Capital Stock Certificates, 85-113
1955-1957

Loan Capital Certificates, 1957-1974Return to Top

Container(s): Box 10

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
10 1
4 ½ % Certificate of Interest, 1-50
1952-1954
10 2
4 ½ % Certificate of Interest, 51-100
1954-1955
10 3
4 ½ % Certificate of Interest, 101-150
1955-1957
10 4
4 ½ % Certificate of Interest, 151-181
1957-1959
10 5
5 % Certificate of Interest, 189-286
1959-1961
10 6
5 % Certificate of Interest, 289-389
1961-1974
10 7
5 ½ % Certificate of Interest, 1-3
1950-1957

Loan Capital Certificates, 1961-1964Return to Top

Container(s): Box 11

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
11 1
6 % Certificate of Interest, 14-114
1961-1962
11 2
6 % Certificate of Interest, 115-213
1961-1963
11 3
6 % Certificate of Interest, 214-314
1963-1964

Loan Capital Certificates, 1965-1977Return to Top

Container(s): Box 12

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
12 1
46 % Certificate of Interest, 315-374
1965-1969
12 2
6 % Certificate of Interest, 375-434
1967-1971
12 3
6 % Certificate of Interest, 435-494
1967-1969
12 4
6 % Certificate of Interest, 495-557
1970-1977

Membership Lists, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 13

(Ordered alphabetically by last name)

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
13 1
Abell-Ayoub, Book 1
undated
13 2
Babcock-Blonquist, Book 2
undated
13 3
Bluck-Cairns, Book 2
undated
13 4
Calderwood-Complete Auto, Book 2
undated
13 5
Con-Cuthbert, Book 2
undated

Membership Lists (continued), undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 14

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
14 1
DDT Construction Co.-Dyer, Book 3
undated
14 2
Everett-Everton, Book 3
undated
14 3
Fackrell-Fushimi, Book 3
undated
14 4
Gadd-Guymon, Book 3
undated
14 5
Haacke-Holbrook, Book 4
undated
14 6
Holbrook-Ivory, Book 4
undated
14 7
Jack-Kaas, Book 4
undated

Membership Lists (continued), undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 15

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
15 1
Kagie-Kyremes, Book 4
undated
15 2
Lake-McBride, Book 5
undated
15 3
McBride-Myers, Book 5
undated
15 4
Naccarate-Oxborrow, Book 5
undated
15 5
Pace-Raymond, Book 5
undated

Membership Lists (continued), undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Box 16

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
16 1
Radmill-Ryse, Book 6
undated
16 2
Sabey-Steel, Book 6
undated
16 3
Tabish-Umberger, Book 7
undated
16 4
Uintah Homes-Wabel, Book 7
undated
16 5
Wach-Yazzie, Book 7
undated
16 6
Yates-Zwan, Book 7
undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Business Enterprises--Utah--History

Occupations

  • Service Stations--Utah--History