Choice Market Ceases Operations
DENVER — Seven years after emerging on the convenience store scene, Choice Markets is locking its doors for the last time.
"This is a tough post to write, but after several months of working through a potential reorganization, unfortunately Choice is closing its doors for good," Choice Market Founder and CEO Mike Fogarty said in an Oct. 8 LinkedIn post. "I want to thank every investor, employee, supplier, friend and family member who believed in me and our mission of making good food a little more convenient."
Choice Market opened on Oct. 13, 2017 and the concept focused on three key differentiators.
- Fresh: Customers can get high-quality fresh food that's prepared in-house.
- Local: Choice supports local purveyors and is in the community actively looking for new ones, especially for key categories like milk, bread, coffee and cheese.
- On-Demand: Open 24 hours a day, customers can order in-store at self-serve kiosks, or receive help from staff. Customers also have the ability to order online and have the items delivered within an hour for a flat rate of $3.99 via Postmates.
The retail brand soon made a name for itself for its approach to fresh food and technology, among other things.
[Read more: How Choice Market Is Redefining Denver's Convenience Store Scene]
For example, Convenience Store News named Choice Market the 2019 Foodservice Innovator to Watch as part of the annual Foodservice Innovators Awards program.
Additionally, Choice Market was named a 2023 Breakout Retailer award winner by Chain Store Age, a sister publication of Convenience Store News.
The retailer was honored for its ambitious goal of reinventing the traditional c-store model by combining convenience, service and advanced technology with fresh, healthy food and other items from local vendors.
However, the retailer filed for bankruptcy this summer and the decision was recently made to shutter the Denver-based business.
"The past seven years have been some of the most challenging and yet rewarding of my life. I am hopeful that Choice made our industry think differently about what it means to push boundaries and innovate for the next generation who values quality, health and convenience," Fogarty wrote.
"I plan to take all the learnings and apply them to a new chapter. Until then, I just want to express my gratitude and appreciation," he added. "Onward."