Help us secure our dream location

Hello, we are Mat, Chaz, and Jackson. We are the founders of IronRoots Cooperative. IronRoots is the very first worker-owned cooperative restaurant in Wisconsin, we are based in Madison, Wisconsin. We are trying to open this democratically-run business because we want to change the industry. Everyone involved with this project has worked in restaurants and has experienced being taken advantage of via overworked hours, underpay, wage theft, and empty promises for advancement. Top down corporations are almost always taking advantage of their employees and we want to do things differently. As a Cooperative, all employees will also be equal owners in the company so that everyone will be involved in the decision making and share in the profits instead of only the big shots at the top of a company.

 

We have been working to start this co-op for two years while raising our children and still working full time in restaurants. We have been working in the industry for 32 years between the 3 of us. And we have done it all! from being line cooks to Store manager, multi-unit manager, Area Manager so we got the skill to pay the bill. Working for these corporate companies we have found it incredibly difficult to raise a family, take time off, and just get the top to hear the bottom! We want to create an environment that holds true to our core values and make a place where others can also develop restaurant careers while still having time to focus on family life. We will accomplish this by paying higher than a living wage, while fostering a work- to life balance.

 

As fathers and industry workers, we do not have start up capital or the usual collateral to put on the table for a loan the way many corporations do. Our goal is to raise starting funds in order to make a down payment as leverage so that we can secure our first location! This is the final step for IronRoots, as we already have a location picked out and staff/future owners waiting on our call.

 

Help us change the restaurant industry. Our goal is to hit $50,000 but anything will help. The more money we can secure, the better loan we can get, and the more lives we can change.

Help restaurant workers AND help make history with Wisconsin’s first worker-owned cooperative restaurant! Help us get rooted!

Thank you!