Even in difficult times, the store has always been community-oriented.
Shoppers check out at the Durango Natural Foods cooperative in 2000. The cooperative will celebrate its 50th anniversary in March. (Courtesy of Durango Natural Foods Cooperative)
It takes a village.
This is the mentality of the employees of the Durango Natural Foods cooperative.
The co-op began in 1974 in a 300-square-foot room in the 700 block of Main Avenue. DNF operated on an all-volunteer basis to bring fresh organic produce to Durango, using an old fishing tackle box as a cash register.
A few years later, the cooperative would move to a slightly larger location in an alley near Seventh Street and Second Avenue East. After receiving growing interest, the co-op made one final location change to its current location at 575 East Eighth Ave.
“Many of the founding owners are still active in the cooperative, and over time our ownership has continued to grow,” said Ryan Waldman, director of marketing. “Currently, more than 2,000 families and individuals own the cooperative. »
On March 29, the food cooperative will celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Durango Natural Foods in 2023 at the corner of College Drive and East Eighth Avenue in Durango. In 1973, the store opened in a small unit on the 700 block of Main Avenue. (Courtesy of Durango Natural Foods Cooperative)
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the grocery store, known for its rainbow-colored exterior in south Durango.
In 2019, the store was on the verge of closing its doors. In 2018, it was reported that sales fell 18% and staff members attributed the decline to the 416 Fire and construction at the time, but sales continued to decline.
Former DNF board member and volunteer Jules Masterjohn said it was a difficult time for the co-op. Poor financial management led to significant debt and board members were forced to fire the then managing director.
The debt was $150,000 to the sellers, $213,500 in mortgage debt and a $70,000 line of credit. The cooperative’s financial problems were also greatly exacerbated at the time due to the emergence of Natural Grocers at 1123 Camino del Rio.
“It became clear that our expenses exceeded our income,” Masterjohn said. “In other words, we couldn’t get enough people to come to the co-op. »
This led to Masterjohn taking over as general manager for about three months. She and the rest of the DNF team began working closely with the National Co-op Grocers Association to organize the nonprofit’s margins.
NCGA members said Durango Natural Foods is also hiring an interim general manager. This led to the hiring of Lucinda Berdon, to whom Masterjohn credits much of the cooperative’s revival. Masterjohn would resign after forming Berdon but remains a regular buyer of the cooperative.
A Durango Natural Foods Co-op employee stocks the shelves in 2000. (Courtesy Durango Natural Foods Co-op)
Because the cooperative was covered in debt, a vote was planned to decide whether it should cease operations.
Showing good faith, a member loaned the cooperative $75,000 to keep it in business. The vote on whether or not to close the store was later canceled.
And as 2019 progressed, the store began to turn around and now appears stronger than ever.
Masterjohn said the cooperative has been important to the community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the pandemic has changed the way people think about going into certain businesses.
“I think people felt a little safer in there,” she said. “These are just my opinions, but I believe the pandemic has been a positive thing for the cooperative. »
DNF was one of the first grocery stores in Durango to offer grocery pickup services to help people social distance.
“I think it also really helped people believe in Durango Natural Foods,” Masterjohn said.
Today, the cooperative is considered by some to be representative of Durango culture, with a commitment to environmental sustainability, support for local producers and collaboration with community nonprofit organizations.
Recently, DNF became involved with Four Corners Slow Money, a nonprofit organization that provides 0% interest loans to agricultural workers.
Since the end of 2019, the organization has awarded $101,910 to 12 local farmers and food entrepreneurs. When customers shop at DNF, they have the option to round up their final purchase to donate to the cause.
“In order to have a great business model with sales, you need a loan to make it happen,” Waldman said.
Masterjohn said the cooperative concept is rooted in democracy and that’s why it’s important to the community.
All profits from DNF go to the grocery store. Waldman said many of the cooperative’s products are grown on small farms.
Durango Natural Foods Co-op is seen in 1998, before the building was painted. (Courtesy of Durango Natural Foods Cooperative)
“The co-op serves as a sort of incubator, which is something we talk about all the time and which I’m really passionate about,” he said.
Although the cooperative feared a possible closure in 2019, it bounced back and now has nearly 2,200 member-owners.
For many, the co-op has become a grocery hub in neighborhoods near Eighth Avenue East. Waldman credits the co-op’s resurgence to the community and co-op members.
“It’s a really special thing,” Waldman said. “If I had to attribute this to anything, I would say it was community resilience. It’s the ability of the staff to hunker down and find the passion.
The store will host a birthday party on March 29 to commemorate its long history.
tbrown@durangoherald.com
