Magdalena Food Co-op: the promise of grocery store stalls

A plan to open a community-owned grocery store in the village has unraveled after years of planning, fundraising and grant applications, leaving members frustrated and the building still vacant.

The Magdalena Food Co-op was launched to combat the town’s food desert. But three years after signing a lease for a Main Street building, the space remains empty, rent payments have not begun and the board has all but dissolved.

“We gave them plenty of runway to try to get it all together,” said State Rep. Gail Armstrong, whose family owns the building. “We haven’t received a dime, and the building’s sitting empty. We wanted the co-op to succeed, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”

Armstrong said she and her husband initially offered the building rent-free until the store opened, but warned early on that relying solely on volunteers was risky.

“Volunteers come and go,” she said. “We advised them to hire a manager, but they hired a grant writer instead.”

The co-op’s board has seen near-to-total turnover. Sheila Devitt, the only remaining board member, said she acknowledged the lack of communication and said most activity ceased in March of this year.

The status of the co-op was questioned in the local Magdalena email newsletter, the MagE Board.

“From my perspective, the MFC is not currently moving forward,” Devitt wrote in response to questions on the Mag E board “I agree a member meeting should have happened in the spring. As a volunteer holding multiple responsibilities, it was not in my capacity to coordinate and lead a member meeting after the newly elected board fell apart.”

Devitt said she has taken minimal steps to maintain the website and insurance, but lacks the capacity to lead a full recovery. She said she hopes to recruit members willing to learn about co-op governance and join the Food Co-op Initiative’s peer learning group over the next 6–12 months.

One lifetime co-op member, Janine Emery said the project is “dead in the water.” Emery, who joined in 2024, said she was disappointed.

“My main concern is only one person is making decisions for the co-op; there is no Board and according to Sheila Devitt’s response on the MagEboard, it will be at least 6-12 months before one is in place.” Said Emery “I am not expecting a refund of my money and am not accusing any one of wrongdoing.”

Others have canceled auto-renewing memberships. Former board member Charles Blaylock said he disputed charges after losing confidence in the plan.

“We left because we didn’t think the business plan was viable,” he said. “They wanted a store the size of a full-service supermarket for a town of 900 people. It was far too large for what we could support.”

The choice of building has been a flashpoint. Former president Judyth Shamosh called it “a pipe dream,” citing mold in the basement, inadequate flooring for refrigeration units, and heating costs that once topped $800 for a single winter month.

“It would never pass inspection,” she said. “We need to move the focus away from that building so we can get the community fed.”

Community posts on the MagE board echo those concerns, estimating renovation costs at $300,000 or more. Plumbing embedded in concrete, lack of cooling systems, and structural issues have fueled calls to consider alternative locations.

According to information sent by Devitt, membership revenue totals about $8,200, with $1,000 from 50 annual members and $7,200 from 36 lifetime members, far short of the $350,000 to $1 million estimated by consultants as necessary to open a store. Fundraising brought in about $6,000, and the account reportedly held less than $2,000 by early 2025.

Devitt also said that some federal grants were used, though they were temporarily frozen due to DOGE.

“We had a federal grant that covered some consultation. They will help you design a floor plan and look at how best to use the space and look at some of the logistics you might need to figure out in terms of electricity load and the kinds of equipment you need,” Devitt said.

After the federal grant was “thawed,” it was used for this consultation, said Devitt.

Membership bylaws state that refunds are discretionary and only possible if surplus funds exist. “Any investment or donation is a risk for members,” said former secretary Osiris Navarro.

Several members have requested refunds, but Devitt confirmed there are no surplus funds.

Devitt said she hopes to rebuild the board and re-engage members through education and planning, citing resources from other New Mexico co-ops. However, Armstrong said her family has issued notice that rent must be paid or the lease will be terminated.

“We can’t keep waiting,” she said. “We’ve done everything we could.”

As far as next steps, Devitt said that she acknowledges the building was a point of contention and that change in location may be something they look at in the future, after education and reinstatement of the board, “That location could be a distraction for other work that will help us build a shared vision.” Devitt said.

When reached for comment the founder and former board president of the co-op Laurie Ware said “I don’t have any current information regarding the co-op. I no longer live in New Mexico.”

For now, the co-op’s mission to bring fresh food to Magdalena, and restore trust in community-led projects, remains in limbo.