About Allendale Co-op
A proper village store serving the community since before 1874.
We are an independent Society which is run by its own, unpaid Board of Directors, elected by the members. The present board are:
- Chair: Julie Howard
- Vice Chair: John Short
- Committee: Alison Chappell, Ian Dunn, Carolyn Milburn,
- Staff Representative: Mrs Shirley Glendinning
Our Board meets on the third Monday of each month.
Our logo is the Wheatsheaf symbol with the ‘Labor & Wait’ sign, as depicted on our shop facia, and was one of the first Co-op brands.
The Wheatsheaf symbolises wholesome and fresh food and the American spelling of Labor, shows the Co-op’s support for the emancipation of slaves in 19th Century USA.
A brief history of Allendale Co-operative Society
The Allendale Co-op was started around the 1860s/70s, in a house behind what is now the Dale Hotel in the Market Square. In 1874 it was registered as a Friendly Society, moving to Curtain House (Kirton House) around 1890, and in the early 1900s it bought the site, which is now our supermarket; originally being a public house. The Society expanded to sell furniture, drapery, hardware and animal feed, as well as food.
In the 1920s branches were opened at nearby Catton and Allenheads, and a butcher’s shop opened in Allendale. Deliveries were made by horse and cart, within the Society’s trading area. By the 1920’s deliveries had moved to motor van; a later addition being a mobile shop. The mobile shop may be no more, but free deliveries are still part of Allendale Co-op services.
In 1932 the current supermarket site was rebuilt to incorporate a drapery department, greengrocers, a garage, fuel store, and offices. In 1959 the frontage of Curtain House was rebuilt, and the then grocery store was refitted out with refrigeration, etc. In 1990 the drapery site was rebuilt to make the new supermarket; which we operate today. Finally, in 1995 Curtain House was redeveloped, being converted into 3 separate properties.