DeWITT, N.Y. — The owners of Natur-Tyme — a store that describes itself as serving the health and wellness needs of Central New York — plan to close the location in the coming months after 40 years of operation.

The store is located at 3160 Erie Boulevard East in DeWitt. 

In its April 14 statement, Natur-Tyme cites “ongoing changes in consumer behavior accentuated by the pandemic” and rising operational costs, which has resulted in reduced revenue and “insurmountable” financial losses.

The closing will affect 30 employees, including 22 full-time and eight part-time workers, Natur-Tyme owner Andrew Fox tells CNYBJ in an email.

On its website, Natur-Tyme describes itself as “much more than your average health food store.” It carries grocery products, supplements, health and beauty products, as well as an art gallery and a salon.

The Natur-Tyme store in DeWitt will continue to operate with business as normal through the remainder of April. The store will not be purchasing additional inventory, so it is “highly recommended customers come in soon and purchase the products they have been utilizing for years before these items are no longer available on the store shelves,” per the announcement.

Additional e-mails and social-media messages will follow in the next couple of weeks highlighting Natur-Tyme’s “Going Out of Business” sale, which will begin in early May and could continue into early June if products are still available in the store.

Natur-Tyme also notes that all store fixtures, café equipment, salon equipment, office furniture, and merchandising racks and materials are available for sale and “reasonable purchase offers will be considered.”

Natur-Tyme owners Fox and Wendy Meyerson issued the following message to their customers on April 14.

“The decision to close Natur-Tyme was extremely difficult since this local business has been part of our family for more than 30 years. We want to express our gratitude to our dedicated and loyal employees for their many years of service. They are the true heroes of the Natur-Tyme legacy!” the owners said. “We also want to acknowledge and thank our many Natur-Tyme customers who shopped in our store over the years as it grew tremendously and relocated to three different buildings throughout the Syracuse marketplace. It has been an honor and privilege to be a part of your lives and we thank you for your loyalty and patronage.”

Meyerson and Fox went on to say, “Although saddened by this announcement, we are very proud of what we have accomplished in our efforts to improve the health and wellness of tens of thousands of customers over these many years.”