Mariana Schett from Fort Collins stopped in on her visit to Fort Morgan for shopping and enjoyed visiting with co-owner of Sagebrush Market Kristin Lindsey. (Robin Northrup/Special to The Times)
At the Nov. 7 Fort Morgan City Council meeting, the Economic Development Specialist for the City of Fort Morgan, Sandy Engle, announced Sagebrush Market as their Business of the Month for November.
Engle told the Council that more than 6,500 food deserts exist in the United States.
“These are places where economics and geography make it harder for people to access healthy, nutritious foods. Being located in an agriculture-producing economy doesn’t preclude its residents from experiencing food access barriers either, such as affordability, fresh, organic, or nutritious offerings,” she said.
“Almost all of Logan County, portions of Morgan County, places like Wray and Yuma, and a large portion of Kit Carson County, all in Northeast Colorado are defined by a USDA report as food deserts,” continued Engle. “A lack of healthy food options can contribute to a decline in health and well-being and may contribute to diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. I am elated to announce that Sagebrush Markets, LLC, located in the heart of downtown Fort Morgan at 210.5 Main Street has been selected for this month’s distinction and to share its compelling story of a remarkable business and the three entrepreneurs behind it.”
Kristin Lindsey, Jennifer Williams, and Allison Miller opened Sagebrush Market in May of this year to offer pantry foods and body products unavailable in the area. They offer items that are mostly organic, clean, and have no additives.
“It was exciting when we first learned about being chosen as Business of the Month,” said Lindsey. “Sandy’s introduction of our business made us teary. When we were up at the podium, I thought, what can you add to what she said about our business? It was very special what she had to say about us. I feel like she understands what we are trying to get across. We are very dedicated to the community. All of the shops around us are very supportive of each other and I believe it is important to support your downtown businesses.”
Lindsey learned after spending her life dedicated to real estate that retail is much different.
“It is interesting and fun. I enjoy creating things. You don’t just set things on a shelf and wait for people to come in. We are all very selective of the items we bring into the store. We don’t want to put anything out until we have taken the time to research and use it ourselves,” she said.
Fresh local beef from Mortensen Meat Company is a new addition to their store, processed at a small butcher shop in Morgan County. Ground beef, ribeye steaks, New York strip, tenderloin, sirloin, stew meat, and chuck roast are currently offered.
Along with the addition of fresh beef, they have expanded their bulk pantry items and also offer gluten-free selections. Bringing in your containers for bulk items is always a bonus, or you can use one of the bags provided. Seasonal items make their way into the store, and you can shop for bath and body products made in-house.
“We get a lot of suggestions for items,” said Lindsey. “We like to try new items. Our bulk items are very popular. We rotate items because it helps us to know what we need. Everyone has their preferences. Between the three of us and customer suggestions, it has been a learning experience. If things are not selling, we figure out something else. We always want to have fresh products available for our customers.”
Sagebrush Market is located at 210.5 Main St. in Fort Morgan and is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. It is closed on Wednesday and Sunday. The shop’s phone number is 970-441-5041 or follow along with them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sagebrushmarket