Our Jemez Stage Stop Cafe is in rural New Mexico, in the Jemez Mountains about 50 miles from Santa Fe and Albuquerque.  We thought it was a great location.  But, no ski resort and in the middle of the Santa Fe high fire risk area.  Some estimate 1 million vehicles come thru and a nearby wilderness has been taken over by the US Park Service giving us hope for business growth.  Instead, many summers, the forest has been closed and camping and even fishing access is prohibited because of fire risk.

   We pledged to stay open year around - to ensure jobs and food in this small retirement community.  But we've struggled and every year we've lost money.   This year we hit the wall.  I fear the worst.   I can't let my employees down and out for the winter ahead.  If we just close outright, we could get by with just having to afford the mortgage by itself but this our community!  

   If the Jemez Stage Stop was fated to fail, then so be it, but I love my home, this community and all I have worked for too.   This may be our last-ditch effort to continue doing what we love and are lauded for.  The business is seasonal at best but this year was unrecoverable.  If we shut it all down,   But to leave the doors shut after all the pride, work & quality we put into our place that exalted our reputation; that is hard to let go of...