BONNERS FERRY — Akins Harvest Foods, located on First Street downtown Bonners Ferry, will officially close Feb. 22, according to employees on Tuesday as they notified customers in the checkout line.

Customer Tad Brown said the store clerk gave him the news today.

“The clerk told me that all of the employees were notified last Thursday or Friday that the store would be closed and that their last day will be Feb. 22,” Brown said. “She said she felt lucky because she already has a job lined up.”

However, an unknown number of employees will be unemployed.

Akins Harvest Foods manager Dwayne Birmingham said he cannot release any official information at this time, but provided contact information for the owners, Nick and John Akins, who are located in Quincy, Wash. The owners were out of town on business and unavailable for comment, however an official statement is expected soon.