Mountain Avenue Market — operated by the Fort Collins Food Co-Op — is tentatively set to move into 1100 West Mountain Avenue, formerly the location of Beavers Market, in 2026.

The co-op was created in 1972 by a group of Colorado State University students who wished to bring affordable, healthy and locally sourced groceries to the city and the area of Northern Colorado. Representatives of the member-owned and board-run business said the organization prides itself on giving back to its community’s economy and people.

The Fresh Foods chain bought Beavers Market in 2021 but put it back on the market in late 2025. The community of Fort Collins was determined to keep the spot a grocery store, an effort that garnered 399 signatures on a Change.org campaign and multiple online posts advocating for it.

The campaign’s goal was met with a surprise July 31, when Mountain Avenue Market announced on its Instagram that it was under contract to purchase the building and was preparing to move.

“(Joining) would allow us to have better pricing on what we buy and then also pass along that better pricing to the consumers.” -Amanda Hofer, Mountian Avenue Market Board of Directors chair

It was no surprise among those aware of the co-op that it had been struggling for the past few months, with a looming closure at the forefront of the issue. The market was regularly asking for community assistance to keep its doors open, as the opportunity to operate in the space was difficult to turn down, no matter the cost.

Ricardo Contreras Mendoza, the former chair of the board of directors and creator of Abuelita Guille Hot Sauce, described that learning about the campaign led him to propose the idea of a move to the board.

“When I found out, I sent a message immediately to the chair and the vice chair,” Mendoza said. “I said, ‘I know this is nearly impossible, but we should really try to move the co-op in there.’”

One of the largest motivating factors for move was the potential parking for shoppers.

“A volunteer from the CSU Impact MBA program did a study, and (the lack of parking) was the No. 1 complaint,” Mendoza said.

The decision to put an offer on the building was put to a vote through a resolution. The result was nearly unanimous.

Chair of the Board of Directors Amanda Hofer explained how they were able to follow through on the move despite financial difficulties.

“We got an appraisal on (the previous) building at $1.3 million, and we ended up closing at $1.6 million,” Hofer said. “We were able to roll the proceeds of that into the purchase of 1100 West Mountain Avenue, which we closed at $2.1 million.”

Currently, the Fort Collins Food Co-Op is still operating from its usual location at 250 East Mountain Avenue. Additionally, it now owns what was once Beavers Market and is currently making minor renovations for its move.

One project for Mendoza involves the old-Hollywood-movie-theater-style marquee. Mendoza said he believed it was too iconic to alter completely, but finding and affording letters for a new sign in the same style proved to be difficult.

Fortunately, thanks to his wife’s connection as a CSU staff member, he was aware of a 3D-printing lab on campus open to more than just department members.

Gabriela Gritz Moya, an undergraduate teaching labs engineer in the mechanical engineering department, was contacted by Mendoza to help mend and upgrade the sign.

“They’re missing a lot of the letters, and there’s not a light that works anymore,” Moya said. “So we’re just helping them get all of that up and going again.”

Most of the communication and preparation for the sign, including a first look for the engineers who plan to contribute, have occurred this month. The marquee will be the first project of its type and scale for the lab members.

As for internal changes to the co-op, Hofer and the board have applied to join the National Co+op Grocers, which would increase the market’s purchasing power.

“(Joining) would allow us to have better pricing on what we buy and then also pass along that better pricing to the consumers,” Hofer said.

The overall timeline of the move and alterations to 1100 West Mountain Avenue’s old building remains up in the air for many.

“I think January is really when the construction is going to get going,” Mendoza said. “I’d heard that in February or March, it would open.”

Reach Maiya Kreamer at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.