LA JUNTA, Colo. (KOAA) — One of the only grocery stores in La Junta is set to close.
The Safeway off of Highway 50 will shut down on or before November 7th. This comes as a shock to several shoppers in La Junta.
“It is just not right,” long-time customer Darla Meier said.
Another shopper, Abel Aguilar, said both he and his parents have been shopping at the Safeway in La Junta all their lives.
“We need this store open, we need to keep our money here, keep this place going,” Abel Aguilar said. “I really feel bad this store is closing down.”
Other customers, like Mary Osborn, said she is worried about the impact this will have on La Junta and the surrounding towns.
“I think it will have a very large rippling effect,” Osborn said. “It will be a multiplier effect on people coming from outlying areas that come to Safeway that may not be going on to Pueblo. “It's going to be people of childbearing age that may not stay here. So those children may not go into the education system.”
She said utilities and sales taxes of La Junta could also be affected.
“Sales taxes will not be put into our city anymore,” Osborn said.
For a small town in South Eastern Colorado, Darla Meier said there are not a lot of options.
“You walk around La Junta and you tell me how many grocery stores you see here,” Darla Meier said.
The closest store is a Walmart Supercenter outside of town. It's 3 miles west of La Junta and around a 5-minute drive from the Safeway. Besides Walmart and convenience stores, that's it for La Junta.
The Rocky Ford Food Market is a 15-minute drive. There is also Thaxton’s Market in Ordway and Las Animas, but both are more than 20 minutes away.
Customer Abel Aguilar said he might even drive the 60-plus miles to Pueblo to go grocery shopping.
“We might have to go to Pueblo to do our shopping down there,” Aguilar said.
Darla Meier said she plans on shopping in Rocky Ford.
“I'm not going to Pueblo. There's a grocery store in Rocky Ford that is a very nice little grocery store. I will be changing some brands, and there's some Safeway brands I really like, but oh well,” Meier said.
Mary Osborn said she would typically purchase meat and produce at Safeway, but now she will have to find a different source.
“Other avenues, and I, of course, I buy meat from local ranchers, but it is going to be tough,” Osborn said.
Osborn said she felt welcomed at her community's Safeway.
“I walk into Safeway, and TJ back in produce, she says, Hey, Ms. O! I was his teacher and he works here and I'm retired and now I see him in retirement,” Osborn said.
Despite not seeing her friends and having to find a new place to shop, Osborn said the people of La Junta will persevere.
She says, “I hate to use the word dying because we're still thriving. All of us are trying our best still to thrive in our small community."
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