Every cooperative association, society, company and exchange created under the provisions of this article and every cooperative marketing association or corporation and every general corporation that may be brought under the provisions of this article, whether such association, society, company, exchange or corporation be organized or brought under this article prior or subsequent to the date of the approval of this section and whether chartered under the laws of this Commonwealth or otherwise chartered and doing business in this Commonwealth, and conducting a mercantile, merchandise or brokerage business on the cooperative plan shall be taxable as a merchant by the Commonwealth, and by the city or town within which such business is done. Nothing in this article shall exempt any such organization from any state or local merchant's license tax.
Va. Code § 13.1-311