Is this the end of the line for the West Asheville food co-op?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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I received a copy of the e-mail below and thought I’d throw is out there for reaction. What do you think of the Haywood Road Market? Is it worth saving? Can it be saved? What are the issues with the co-op?

Here’s what I think: I remember when the place opened. It’s another story of a great idea for a business leading the way, because that section of Haywood Road was dull, dead, blah. No Digable Pizza, no Westville Pub.

But the food co-op was struggling from the start. Prices were waaaay too expensive. Selection was slim. Shelves were often bare. The store was grubby and dusty. So I’m surprised it stuck around for as long as it did.

Here’s the e-mail. Looking forward to your comments:

Some of you may have already heard that the winter season, plus this
economic downturn, has had its toll on the Haywood Road Market. And
unfortunately, the outcome is the worst kind – our landlords have served
the Market with an eviction letter. As it stands, we’re being asked to
leave by the end of May.

Our owners must come together and decide the fate of the Co-op: do we
move? do we close? do we morph into something new? We need to hear the
voices of our owners _and_ the greater community, and we must vote on
this issue; otherwise, /the path seems predisposed to close/.

*/Join us on Tuesday, April 21 /*

*/at 6:30pm in the Co-op./*

Come ready to cast your vote and tell

us what you want to become of the

Haywood Road Market.