Durango Natural Foods Co-op

Dear Beloved Community,

 

We regret to inform you that DNF is dangerously close to closing its doors.  After almost 45 years of serving this community, our sales are too low to pay what we owe to local small farmers and vendors.  We are in debt to the very community members we exist to support.  Many of them are friends and neighbors of yours: Twin Buttes Farms, Desert Sun Coffee, All Seasons Farm, Turtle Lake Refuge, and many others.

 

A dramatic dip in sales began in June 2018, when the 416 Fire decreased tourism and caused many locals to leave town.  Just when we expected sales to return to normal, construction at the intersection of College and 8th began disrupting traffic patterns.  When we turned to our long-time bank for assistance, the bank changed ownership and denied us a loan.  This triple-threat to DNF’s success came on top of 10 years of relatively flat sales.  The natural and organic food industry has changed dramatically over that time.  Local, responsibly produced grocery products that were once only found at DNF and Nature’s Oasis can now be purchased at five other local markets, as well as online.

 

Moving forward, we realize that we can’t keep operating under the same business model we have been using in the past.  DNF’s Board is brainstorming exciting, creative ideas about how we can stay relevant in 2019 and beyond. But we can’t move forward until we dig out of this hole.  Contributing to this Vendor Relief Fund gives our local farmers and producers the capital they need to invest in their business in 2019.  It allows DNF to continue existing.  It’s good for the co-op, and it’s good for the community.

 

Thank you very much for this contribution.