In a letter emailed to customers and the community Aug. 1, the Doylestown Food Market said its final day in business would be Aug. 31.
The letter, signed by “Paul, Debbie and John,” said the market, at 29 W. State St., was unable to attract a sufficient number of shoppers beyond its core group of faithful buyers to turn a profit on a regular basis.
It said the three members of the former Doylestown Food Co-op, which opened the store Jan. 2, 2014, purchased the assets of the market in February 2018, in order to keep the mission “to support local farmers and to provide our customers with access to fresh, clean, nutritious food” going.
“We had planned to move to a larger site with more space and ample parking. We looked for a suitable site for several months, but were unable to find one with the right combination of location, size, parking and cost. So we worked to make the store as successful as possible in the original location.”
The letter said the market owners were grateful for “the support of many in our community and the positive impact we have made for local farmers and producers.”
It urged customers to continue to shop throughout the month, adding, “We will continue to stock your daily needs, such as bread, milk, eggs and produce,” and offer special sales. “Also, our refrigerators, shelving, and most other equipment and contents will be for sale,” the letter said.
The letter also thanked staff, the former members of the co-op board, the approximately 600 former members of the co-op, the store’s landlord, its many local farmers, and most especially its committed shoppers. It also urged continued healthy eating.
