After eight years selling home-grown fruit and veges and a range of organic products, Lyttleton Stores will close its doors at the end of this month.
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One of co-op members, Jacinta Carmichael-Parissi, said the "sad" decision was made just before Christmas, with the realisation that it just wasn't financially viable for the not-for-profit retail shop any more.
COVID, the economic downturn and soaring overheads eventually wore the team down.
The co-operative received no government assistance during COVID ("we sort of fell between the cracks", Ms Carmichael-Parissi said) at the same time as it lost three of its five revenue streams - the workshops, arts and crafts sales and the gardens.
The fruit and veges sales and the coffee machine kept going but it wasn't enough.
At the end of 2022, a survey was conducted among members to find out what would bring people back to Lyttleton. Some changes were made, including renting half of the premises to RoseyRavelston Books.
"We tried for several months but the sales figures were only making half of what we need. So you literally can't go on," Ms Carmichael-Parissi said.
The big killer was the cost of overheads, she said.
Lyttleton will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays until the end of January.
But while it will no longer inhabit the heritage cottage at Lawson, there are hopes that the co-operative's ideals might continue - connecting the community via crafts and food making, workshops, sharing, growing and learning from each other.
"I have seen it in action, what it means to people moving up here and feeling alone," Ms Carmichael-Parissi said.
"They have felt empowered to have a sense of belonging in the community. It's made a big difference to a lot of lives and that's just wow."
