Vallers Market closes

Vallers Market closed their retail store and coffee and soup bar last weekend in response to a slump in the business that hasn't shown signs of rebounding.

The Vallers will instead concentrate on growing their Valler Coffee business.

Jason Valler said their retail business, which included soups and breads, the coffee bar, dairy items, Mannix beef and locally-made crafts, only brought in about half of what it was costing them to operate it each week. He said they have usually seen an uptick in business, after bottoming out around February but this year business simply continued to decline. He believes part of the reason stems from inflation and the generally uncertain economic outlook.

Tiana Valler said they had planned to stay open until the end of April, but operating at an ongoing loss and family concerns prompted them to close their doors a couple weeks early. Recent supply chain issues that severely limited their ability to offer take-out was a final straw in the decision. she said they will continue to carry dog food for their local customers but are dropping their sale of other animal feed.

With the closure of the retail business, the Vallers will concentrate on roasting and marketing their line of Valler Coffee. Specializing in organic, fair trade, single origin dark roasted coffee, Vallers have developed a following through their online sales and at farmers markets around the region. They plan to continue efforts to market their coffee to specialty shops and to get it into broader markets through larger retail and grocery chains.

The Vallers will also continue to use their building for occasional events, such as coffee tastings or blacksmith 'hammer-ins.' They may also make the space available for certain meetings or events by local organizations, but for the time being will concentrate on coffee and on cleaning and reorganizing the building.

Two and a half years ago, the Vallers began their operation as the Heritage House, a school for traditional arts, where people could come together to share and learn traditional skills. following the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, the Vallers re-trenched, adding a marketplace featuring local arts and crafts, Montana-made grocery items, Mannix beef and locally produced baked goods. Last year they adjusted, dialing back on the grocery items and adding animal feed and some bulk goods. Earlier this year, they brought back homemade soup and bread, which had been a popular mainstay of their original Valler Mercantile downtown.

The change in focus also means the future of the Lincoln Farmer's market is in doubt Unless they can find an organization or person willing to take it on. Vallers took over hosting it in their parking lot in 2019.