Fort Collins Food Co-Op has reopened at a new location, taking over the property that was formerly occupied by Beavers Market on Mountain Avenue. The move is reviving community dedication to local grocers in the neighborhood.

“Over the last couple years, the co-op in its location in Old Town was barely staying alive,” said Jack Armstrong, longtime member-owner of the co-op, who has served on the Board of Directors on and off since the ’80s. “There was just concern about what we can do. What can we all do?”

With the help of several board members in the real estate industry, the process of selling the old building and moving locations began.

“Our Board of Directors did a lot of the coordinating of the logistics of buying and selling the building, and that was months ago,” said Savanah Ehlers, who does outreach and communications for the co-op. “And then a few months ago, they brought in a general manager that kind of did more of that coordinating with contractors and all the work that needs to be under the physical buildings. It was many hands over the course of many months.”

In moving to the new location, the co-op has expanded not only in size and parking availability but also in grocery options, all of which were shortfalls at their former location in downtown Fort Collins.

“Our product offering (has) expanded,” Ehlers said. “Our bulk is fully stocked for the first time in a while. Budgetwise for the co-op, in Old Town, that wasn’t always a possibility. We have things fully stocked for the first time in that department. For the shopping experience, there’s a lot more there. It’s a lot more lively.”

The co-op has been providing the Fort Collins community with sustainable, largely organic and locally sourced food from their former downtown location since 1972.

“I went there the other day, and it was such a beautiful, airy, big open space,” member-owner Deni LaRue said, who said she has shopped at the co-op since the early ’70s. “I will try to go there as much as I can to support it and make sure that they are able to be profitable there and keep going.”

Though many have seen the co-op through this transition, the updated location has drawn in new customers.

“I saw the sign the other day and I was like ‘What?’ because the co-op was really little downtown and we didn’t go there too much — maybe for a few bulk things,” said Peggy O’Mara, a Fort Collins Food Co-Op shopper. “It wasn’t enough that I felt like it made it worth the trip. Now I can get a lot of things here when I’m shopping here.”

In 2021, the surrounding neighborhood felt the loss of Beavers Market, which had also served the community since the early ’70s. In taking over that space, the co-op is taking on the legacy of Beavers Market.

“The current board worked with the Beavers family, and they came up with that cool logo of the cartoon beaver pushing a shopping cart,” Armstrong said. “I love it. It’s so clever, and it honors the Beavers family that had that business for 50 years.”

The Fort Collins Food Co-Op, formerly known as Mountain Avenue Market, has not only adopted the new logo but made their name official.

“We were at one point Mountain Avenue Market, so then we just kind of went back to the Fort Collins Food Co-Op as our full and only name,” Ehlers said. “So that’s kind of … honoring our loyal customer base and the people that have made the co-op stay alive over the years, … and the people that made this transition possible.”

With more space and connection to a wider clientele, the co-op is ready for a new era of business.

“I’ve been there for a year and a half, and in that time, I’ve worked with some really great people that are still there and they’ve done a lot of hard work to keep it open and do the things that made it possible to stay open for as long as we did in our Old Town location,” Ehlers said. “And I’m excited to watch everyone kind of grow into these roles in a store that hopefully can support that. So seeing people do the work that they are really passionate about and give that gift to the community, it’s something I’m really stoked on.”

For both the co-op and the community it serves, the location promises new beginnings and community connection.

“The new location really opens itself to community gatherings,” LaRue said. “That was the first thing I noticed when I walked in the door the other day. I instantly saw three or four people that I knew, and we all greeted each other and ‘ooh’ed’ and ‘ahh’ed’ about what a great space it was. I’m seeing that it will be a place people can actually see each other, meet and greet and meet new people.”

Reach Gracie Douglas at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.