by Paul Kozakiewicz

Thom’s Fresh Organics market on Geary Boulevard is shutting its doors at the

end of February.

According to Alisha Pare, the manager of the store for the past two years, the parent

corporation closed about 40 stores recently and had stopped doing some routine

maintenance at the store before the order to close came down. A second store in the City,

located on Stanyan Street, will also be shuttered.

Pare is hoping some sort of arrangement can be made to allow the workers at the store

to take over management of the retail store, possibly as a co-op.

“It’s more than a job to us,” she said. “It’s a community staple.”

The lease on the property reportedly expires in 2020.

One customer at the store, who didn’t want to be identified, said he will bemoan the loss

of the neighborhood organic grocery store.

“Thom’s is an institution around here,” he said.

Most items at the store have been marked down 10 to 30 percent, with deeper discounts

to come as Thom’s’ inventory is cleared.

Pare said she was the only full-time employee at the site, with her 15 or so co-workers

being hired through a temporary employment firm, Aerotek. Those workers are not

slated to get a severance package.

Thom’s Fresh Organics, located at 5843 Geary Blvd., is also a local recycling site for “all

CRV beverage containers.”