By investing in a community market, you are funding an organization that is intended to directly serve its Owners, local producers, and the neighboring community. A community market gives its Owners the ability to directly control or influence decisions made on how the business operates to serve its customers. With a traditional grocery or superstore, the products and services offered are fixed and determined by a controlling interest that is not located within that community.  A market owned by the community gives this decision-making power back to the Owners, who are often its most loyal customers, so the offerings are tailored to the specific community it is meant to serve. This is a more democratic and participatory form of running a business.