On the corner of Garfield and Fifth streets sits a unique house that is home to a similarly unique business.
Inside Conspire’s graffiti-covered walls is a combination of an art gallery, beverage stop, clothing store, library and more. The business is breaking down walls — literally.
Currently undergoing renovations, Conspire is a cooperative, meaning its 25 or so employees pay rent, work shifts and help maintain the space. Inside you find custom handmade art, shirts, hats, jewelry, baked goods, burros, tea, juice, smoothies, books… the list goes on.
Cooperative is a good business term for Conspire, said “imagineer” and creative designer Joey Grether, adding that everything that goes on inside the walls is a team effort.
“We try to gain as much consensus on our decisions as we can,” Grether said. “We all work together and compromise along the way.”
The co-op members form a type of jury to determine what is sold inside. They hold meetings where sellers come in and present their items. The jury then discusses and votes on whether or not to enter a partnership.
Partners have the choice to pay $50 in rent and 20 percent in sales, $75 in rent and 15 percent in sales, or $100 in rent and 10 percent in sales.
Grether said the idea behind the store resulted from an interest in being self-sufficient.
Conspire “came out of a desire to make stuff and sell it without having to work with a middleman,” Grether said. “So we kind of pulled together to start our own store. This is probably the closest anyone is going to get to a free market.”
Conspire started with a group of about 15 clothing designers who came together and opened up a small store in the basement of a coffee shop years ago. Unhappy, Grether moved the shop to a larger space with a storefront. As a cooperative, he said, limitations are your own.
The second location “worked relatively well for a while, but just like all cooperatives, you begin to realize that you’re all defined by each others’ limitations,” Grether said. “So if some people aren’t into it, it’s not easy for everyone else to get into it.”
After six months, the co-op moved to the current location. Three years ago, the members chose a bigger spot and spent more money.
“Since then, it’s taken on more of a life of its own,” Grether said. “It’s become an epicenter for art and culture in downtown. It really has satisfied a little bit more that each of us are trying to get out of our lives and our projects.”
Ariana Sauer is a daily customer who said she feels “part of the community.”
Sauer said the place comes alive at night.
“It’s normally really slow and relaxed all day,” Sauer said. “You can read a book, drink a tea or a juice and relax. And then at night, every day of the week, they have stuff going on. Open mic, free yoga nights and they have bands perform here, too.”
The shows and events are usually free.
Sauer said there is a fairly large customer base outside of the regulars.
“I always meet new people here,” Sauer said. “A lot of out-of-towners hear about (Conspire) when they come into town. It’s a good place to stop, and (the staff) is really helpful with telling people about good restaurants and where to go in Phoenix.”
Technically, Conspire is a limited liability company, meaning it exists in business terms as something between a cooperation and corporation. Robyn Kingsly, one of the co-op members, said Conspire’s long-term goal is to move from an LLC to a cooperative, but he added that she is not sure the state recognizes that platform.
Their short-term goal, however, is very simple: Sell 50 drinks a day.
Contact the reporter at alan.hersh@asu.edu
