Brooklyn’s Boyfriend Co-op shows power of shared ownership

At Boyfriend Co-op, the four worker-owners work together to curate the cafe and cocktail menu, design the space and plan events. Although there is a hierarchy of roles — one worker-owner with more expertise in event-planning may take on more of those responsibilities, for instance — there is no hierarchy of person.

To become a worker-owner, people can participate in a “labor buy-in," working for the cafe-bar for six months and contributing 60 hours to co-op improvement like pitching events, adding menu items and more. Currently, two workers are on that path.

“As not only a worker but also an owner, I feel a lot of responsibility to the space, the community it serves, and the workers that are building it,” said Mustafa.

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