05/03/2023
Dear Friends and Supporters of Ten Thousand Villages Fort Collins,
With heavy hearts, the Board of Directors of Ten Thousand Villages Fort Collins has decided to close the store by the end of June. The store's mission has been precious to us all, and we are grateful for the years we were able to tell the message of fair trade and help support the artisans who made the products we sold.
While we have overcome many financial challenges in our 23 years of business, the months-long store closure and loss of offsite sales during 2020 have caught up with us. The pandemic exhausted both our monetary reserves and our volunteer base.
We took the government aid provided to small businesses as a result of the pandemic, but that assistance has ended. We have explored the options of private fundraising, government-funded apprenticeships, and other forms of aid, but have found nothing that adequately addresses our situation. Consequently, we have reached the decision to close while we still have enough funds to conclude the life of the store with grace.
In contrast to the times when Ten Thousand Villages and other fair trade vendors first began selling fair products, "conventional" businesses have begun seeking out fair trade options such as clothing sewn under fair trade conditions. We encourage you to continue directing your spending to Ten Thousand Villages online, and to other fair trade vendors as much as possible. It makes a difference.
With gratitude to you all for the time, money and commitment you have brought to the mission of Ten Thousand Villages Fort Collins,
Ana Guzman
Store Manager
Sarah Gorin
Board Chair
P.S. Our books show many outstanding gift cards. If you have one, the time to use it is now..
