Responsible entrepreneurism, local sustainability found at the new Nature’s Oasis.

DURANGO, Colo. – Step into the new Nature’s Oasis. Pause. What’s different?

Certainly size. With more than 20,000 square feet of space, the local natural foods store, which was no more than 700 square feet in 1993 when it came under the visionary eye of Sherri Watson, has grown. That’s a given.

 

The fresh flowers at the entry are also obvious. With the additional floor space, Watson has been able to incorporate a dream she’s had for some years to offer locally or regionally grown cut flowers and plants.

Keep looking. Yes, a line is forming at the deli counter in the rear of the store. The expanded space has allowed for a generous deli food-to-go operation, including fresh daily salads, sandwiches, entrees and organic soups. The prestigious Boar’s Head line of meats and cheeses has also tapped Nature’s Oasis as a vendor, and the new deli features a full case of the distributor’s offerings.

But there’s more. It’s the color – not the paint on the walls or the signage. It’s the vibrancy of the entire natural food market’s space and merchandise. Everything appears “alive” – from the organic produce that lines the east wall, to that ordinary can of natural soup or jar of organic salad dressing.

This confluence of “colors” could be a metaphor for what Nature’s Oasis represents in the Durango community: health. Physical, thanks to the abundance of natural and organic foods and supplements offered at the store, and economic. With the store’s dynamic growth making it a veritable poster child for local entrepreneurism, Nature’s Oasis is also a shining example for local sustainability – Durango’s own “trickle down,” as it were.

“Our community understands the vital importance of supporting and promoting locally-owned businesses,” said Jeff Watson, who began his career as a Durango police officer, but joined wife Sherri in running Nature’s Oasis as the growth curve steepened. “And that’s not just Nature’s Oasis. It’s DNF (Durango Natural Foods), Kroeger’s, Hogan’s and on and on.”

And “on and on” within Nature’s O (the colloquial term) also includes The Wine Merchant, Sunnyside Farms Market and Serious Delights – three independent businesses that are now located under Nature’s O’s roof. While the three had achieved their own levels of success in disparate locations around town, hope is the added exposure will further their success. Plus, they enhance the expanded offerings found at Nature’s O.

“That was our goal,” said Jeff. “Going back four years when we first started talking to Holly (Zink, of Sunnyside) and Rob (Ziegler, of Serious Delights bakery) and bringing them into the fold, our goal was that people could have a complete shopping experience, and not walk in and walk out thinking, ‘I have to go somewhere else for paper products’ … People can go one time to one place and get the best of everything they want. It’s all about choice.”

 

With the inclusion of The Wine Merchant, Nature’s O is also offering something not previously seen in Durango – an attached liquor store. Given Colorado’s liquor laws, The Wine Merchant must have an independent cash register and entrances, but it’s about as close as one can get within existing law to buying wine and dinner fixings at the same time.

In a further step toward local sustainability, Nature’s O specializes in carrying local products – at this juncture some 150, from soaps and lotions, supplements and herbs, to tortillas and pastas, honey and sauces.

“We can bring in as good or better products and put them on the shelf for the same price and have the money go locally instead of a big vendor up on the Front Range,” said Jeff. “We do it whenever we can, within reason.”

And an increasing amount of produce is coming from local growers. Though, existing farms currently aren’t large enough for the market to meet all of its needs, Nature’s O takes what it can.

“All of our produce has always been organic,” said Sherri, adding that she hopes to move produce bins and garden starts outside as the weather improves. “The more we can carry and support, the better.”

The move to the frontage road of Hwy 150/550 South from the former location across from Town Plaza was a big step for the Watsons, but one that was necessitated by community demand. Limited parking and difficult access was an increasing issue, and they had absorbed as much of the existing building as the landlord would allow.

The Watsons spent several years searching for an alternative existing facility in Downtown Durango, but the vacant lot just north of Handlebar Cycles would allow them to build from the ground up incorporating efficiencies – not just for retail, but also for the environment. Sherri Watson has long been concerned about the environment. Her grandmother was instrumental in the passage of the Clean Air Act in the ‘60s, so she feels it’s in her blood.

“We had the building energy modeled,” said Sherri, noting that they hired LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified consultants Jeremy Rivera and Michele Reott. “The envelope and building shell are rally energy efficient. We used recycled materials whenever possible, and we used almost exclusively local contractors and local materials.”

Because of the cost and potential time delays if involved of the LEED certification process, Nature’s O is not officially LEED certified, but was constructed following the LEED checklist.

“It (LEED certification) is a really good process for large institutional buildings,” said Jeff. “But to go through the process for this building, it would have been about $50,000. So we thought, instead of putting $50,000 into a plaque, we’ll put it into the building – things that look good and are good, energy efficient things.”

For example, the exterior walls are more than a foot thick, incorporating cinder block, insulation and wood framing. The walk-in coolers and freezers incorporate a special insulation process on the floor, keeping the cold air from leaking into the earth, and the warm earth from impacting the coolers. Even the lighting is computer-controlled for maximum efficiency.

“The controls are actually moderately expensive, but in the long run, we’ll be able to operate with less cost,” said Jeff. “The break even point isn’t that far out.”

The break even point for solar panels was, however, a bit too far out for the Watsons to include in the first phase of construction, so to offset 100 percent of energy consumption, they purchase renewable power through La Plata Electric. Nature’s Oasis was one of the first businesses in town to do so.

“We did set it up so we can eventually put solar panels up to provide as much power as we can,” said Sherri. “Ben Jason(of Bella Energy) has looked at what it will take. That’s our next step.”

To encourage multi-modal transportation, an off-shoot of the Animas River Trail connects to the store’s parking lot, which is double the size of the old lot. The location also offers increased visibility, and though the CDOT highway construction has been problematic, it doesn’t appear to have dramatically inhibited folks from finding Nature’s O.

“On Saturday, lots of couples and families are coming in, and I know they’ve never been here before,” said Sherri. “They tell us, ‘We didn’t know where you used to be.’ But some people have said, ‘I wouldn’t go in your old store. It looked too hippie. I was scared to go in because people would make fun of me because I don’t eat organic.’”

 

While all of the products carried at Nature’s O are organic or natural, without harmful chemicals, pesticides and preservatives, the store is also a discriminating chef’s delight. Beyond the highest grade meats, poultry and fish available in the region, and fresh, organic produce, Nature’s O has dramatically enhanced its gourmet foods, including many unusual ingredients called for in foreign recipes. Also available is an expanded housewares section.

And the key to the “colors” noticed upon entering? It’s a result of the building’s design and energy efficiency efforts. Skylights rim the upper reaches of the facility, with energy efficient “natural” lighting (as opposed to the fluorescent glare common to many large stores), supplementing the daylight.

“We’ve got as much daylight as we possibly can have,” said Jeff. “It’s fun to watch shoppers walk through and realize there’s actually sunlight shining on the products.”

“It’s a much happier feeling,” assured Sherri.

Nature’s Oasis’ official address is 300 Camino del Rio. An “official” Grand Opening celebration is scheduled for May 16-17.

 

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