When the owners of Conor Byrne Pub, a beloved Seattle music venue frequented by up-and-coming artists, stepped away from the business, the venue faced closure. Instead, former employees spearheaded an effort to transform it into a community-owned co-op. Now funded and run by community members who refused to let their neighborhood gathering space disappear, the venue continues hosting local musicians.

From the desk: When something matters enough to a community, they don’t just mourn its loss—they figure out how to save it themselves.