Members of the Ignacio community and surrounding area have been facing much difficulty after the past grocery closed its doors in June of 2014.

A little over a year later, the new grocery store, Farmers Fresh Market, has been completed and is almost ready to open its doors to the general public.

“We initially had to move the project up before the fall of 2014, which was the end of the lease from the original store,” Amos Lee, general manager. “There was so much prep going into the project, from the floors to our time frame.”

Within the past month, the building was completed and shelves have been installed to begin the stocking of products.

Farmers Fresh will offer the essential items, from meats and milk to cleaning products and dog food. The store will also include many new items that were not available in the previous store, such as seafood, which can be special ordered.

“We want to have the items that people want,” Lee said. “We also want to keep our food affordable for everyone.”

Also returning to the store is an eagerly awaited deli, which will feature many cold cuts and a new burrito bar, which will feature burritos for breakfast and lunch. Farmers Fresh Market is also very interested in pursuing the idea of incorporating fry bread into the Deli as well as cultural soups and stews.

“We are going to try and have a have a selection of diverse items to match a diverse community,” says Lee.

Another big service that will be offered in the new store will be a full-service pharmacy, which is a big help for those who have to travel to Bayfield or Durango for their prescription drugs. The pharmacy will include sterile and non-sterile compounding labs, which can allow for mixing and sorting of medicines.

The pharmacy will open the same day, but it could take a couple of weeks before insurance billing may be able to take place.

“We would like to communicate that we are here for that we are here for the community and provide good service to everyone in the community. We have had a great relationship with the Ignacio community, “ Lee said. “We are hoping to create a good and solid relationship with the community and provide a good work environment.”

Farmers Fresh Market will be having a soft opening of the store on Wednesday, July 29 at 6 a.m. Hours will be Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The official Grand Opening will be announced at a later date.