Grocery and general store chain shutting all locations soon

When you live in a rural area, a single store closing down hits harder because you already have fewer options.

In some cases, a single closure of a key business like a grocery store or a discount retailer can force residents to travel great distances or rely on online retailers for some purchases.

On a personal level, this impacted my family when the Market Basket supermarket closed near our New Hampshire vacation home, That left the community without a true grocery store for years, forcing people to drive nearly a half hour to pick up basics, or to overpay for them at local specialty stores.

Something similar happened when the K-Mart closed in Key West. That shutdown, one of the last in the chain, robbed that remote area of its only department store, forcing residents to drive four to five hours before they hit a Walmart or a Target.

Residents in the Pacific Northwest now face similar challenges, according to local reports.”

In the markets it serves, Cascade Farm and Outdoor, which is closing all its stores, will leave a similar hole in the marketplace.

Cascade Farms closing all locations

A rival to Tractor Supply, Cascade Farms serves farmers and rural communities. It's sort of an everything-you-might-need general store model. The chain offers grocery, clothing, footwear, sporting goods, outdoor gear, hardware, and various farming supplies.

"Cascade Farm and Outdoor is built on great Northwest traditions you’ve come to know and trust. As the newest member of the Bi-Mart Family, Cascade Farm and Outdoor is committed to quality and value throughout our store. Our goal is to offer the hard-working farmers, ranchers, and homeowners of our area a helping hand along with a great selection of quality merchandise," the company shared on its website.

Bi-Mart has decided to close down the entire chain in the spring and has already started going-out-of-business sales at its stores.

Why is Cascade Farm and Outdoor closing?

The company explained the shutdown in a media release shared with KCBY 11.

"Our division of Cascade stores, while successful, did not have the volume and momentum to significantly contribute to our path moving forward. Always necessary in business, our goal is to make the best decisions we can that support the success of Bi-Mart, our employee-owners, and our members," it offered.

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B-Mart intends to offer Cascade employees positions at other stores when that's geographically possible.

"As an employee-owned company, our responsibility to our members and each other has led us to the difficult decision to close our Cascade stores to ensure that Bi-Mart continues to grow. We feel the strength of our core business is the most important factor in our ongoing growth and success in the Northwest," President Todd Watson said.

The company has begun offering clearance deals at its stores. All in-store sales are final, and no returns will be accepted. Csacade Farm and Outdoor has not set an official closing date, only saying "this spring" in its statement and on the brand's website.

Kristina Brant, who co-authored two studies on the impact of business closures in rural communities, shared the heavy cost of a shutdown like this one on Penn State University's website.

“While some people may be able to travel to the next town over to access services, this isn’t possible for everyone, so these closures could perpetuate inequalities between residents,” Brant said.

Nationwide an estimated 53.6 million Americans (17.4% of the population) live in low-income census tracts more than 10 miles from the nearest supermarket or large grocery store, highlighting the challenges rural communities face when local retail options close, according to the USDA Economic Research Service.

A brief history of Cascade Farm and Outdoor

• Launched by Bi-Mart in 2014: Cascade Farm and Outdoor opened its first store in Walla Walla, Washington in 2014 as a new division of the Bi-Mart retail family focused on farm, ranch, and outdoor lifestyles, according to the company's website.
• Part of Bi-Mart family: The brand operates under Bi-Mart’s umbrella but with a distinct retail concept targeting rural and outdoor customers without requiring a membership to shop, reported the Eugene Register Guard.
• Five total stores by mid-2020s: The concept grew to five locations spanning Washington and Oregon markets as Bi-Mart explored this niche retail format, That Oregon Life reported.
• Product offering: Stores carried a wide range of merchandise including farm and ranch supplies, pet food and supplies, hardware, outdoor gear, and clothing for farmers, ranchers, and outdoor enthusiasts, according to the company.
• 2026 closure decision: In January 2026, Bi-Mart announced that all Cascade Farm and Outdoor stores will close this spring as the company refocuses on its core Bi-Mart retail operations across the Pacific Northwest, added That Oregon Life.

Although the Cascade Farm and Outdoor chain will be closing, Bi-Mart does have growth plans.

"While we will be closing our Cascade Farm and Outdoor stores, we will be moving ahead with plans to convert the Hood River Cascade store into a Bi-Mart this spring," the company said. "Bi-Mart employee-owners will work hard to make this transition as smooth as possible and look forward to serving the Hood River community."

B-Mart, which uses a Costco-style membership model, plans to open in Seattle later this year.

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