Strengthening Rural Grocery Stores: A Learning Cohort with Deborah Solie and Charlotte Narjes
Rural grocery stores are more than places to buy food — they’re anchors for small-town economies and community life. In this episode, Deborah Solie of the Center for Rural Affairs and Charlotte Narjes of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Development Center discuss a new Rural Grocery Store Learning Cohort designed to help store owners strengthen operations, build community connections and plan for long-term sustainability.
They explain the challenges rural grocers are facing, what participants can expect from the cohort and why peer learning and collaboration are key to keeping local stores viable. Whether you own a store, work in rural development or care about the future of small-town Nebraska, this conversation offers insight into what it takes to keep rural grocery stores thriving.
Find out more and apply by March 6 here: https://www.cfra.org/rural-grocery-store-learning-cohort-online
