Latest closure opportunity for businesses, customers

Last week the Big Horn Basin received the news that the Big Horn Cooperative Marketing Association would be closing many of its retail stores including Worland’s farm store. The tire shop had closed in September without any official notification.

The news was somewhat of a gut punch, similar to when we heard that Shopko would be closing.

Worland is not the only community dealing with this. According to the cooperative’s press release, released to media outlets and on social media last Wednesday, all retail locations will be open until the end of December with closures affecting Basin Farm Store, Buffalo Farm Store, Greybull Farm Store, Powell Farm Store and Worland Farm Store. Riverton Farm Store, Worland C-Store and Powell Tire will remain open to serve customers

The focus of the company will be on energy and agronomy so the Basin fertilizer plant which opened just a few years ago will remain open.

We do not know the entire story behind the closures or the entire financial picture. Marketing Director Crystal Ozga said, “Decisions to close locations were made through financials over the past years,” thus we can speculate that Riverton’s Farm Store was likely the most profitable for it to stay open.

Thoughts run through your mind and mine immediately went to the employees of the businesses that are closing. They are being allowed to transfer among Big Horn Cooperatives other locations if they choose and if there are openings.

We know there are many jobs to fill here in Worland and while it might not be what they were doing, hopefully they can find something that is a perfect fit for them for the new year.

The second thought is what will happen to the facilities. At the present time the cooperative has no specific plans.

Then thoughts go to how the void will be filled. I remember when Shopko closed there were meetings about how the communities could fill the voids and many businesses stepped up and began offering new product lines to try and fill those product voids.

In Greybull, the Greybull Building Center is doing just that with this post — “If anyone is buying a product at the Big Horn Co-op hardware store that is not available anywhere else in town, please let us know. If it is available to us, we will bring it in, either as stock, or as a special order. Our area is small, and losing a retail location is never a good thing, but we will strive to pick up the slack and help where we can!!”

I know that in Worland several businesses are always willing to work with the customer to try and find what they need so before going online or going out of town, check with some local stores first to see if they can get what you need.

If they realize there is a strong need perhaps it will become a part of their regular product line.

Giving our local stores a chance on any type of purchase should go without saying. These are the stores that invest in our student activities, help sponsor community activities and have invested in our community.

We need to invest in them as well, not just here at the holidays but year round. Every time I go into one of our businesses it seems I see something new they had not offered previously. If there is a store you have not been in, in a while go check it out. Wander Worland’s Main Street and see what the stores all along Big Horn and 10th have to offer.

Check out the Cooperative Farm Store this month and do not forget about the Cooperative’s continued investment in the convenience store.

And, let’s hope the changes and new vision for Big Horn Cooperative give them another 100 years (having started in 1923).