Note 10 - Long-term Debt	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements
Debt and Capital Leases Disclosures [Text Block]	10. Long-Term Debt Credit Facility On January 28, 2016, the Company entered into a credit facility (the Credit Facility). The operating company is the borrower under the Credit Facility and its obligations under the Credit Facility are guaranteed by the holding company and VC2. The Credit Facility is secured by a lien on substantially all of the Company’s assets. As of September 30, 2020, the amount available for borrowing under the Credit Facility was $50.0 million, including a $5.0 million sublimit for standby letters of credit. The Company has the right to borrow, prepay and re-borrow amounts under the Credit Facility at any time prior to the maturity date. The Credit Facility matures on November 13, 2024. Base rate loans under the Credit Facility bear interest at a fluctuating base rate, as determined by the lenders’ administrative agent based on the most recent compliance certificate of the operating company and stated at the highest of (i) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (ii) the prime rate, and (iii) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, less the lender spread based upon the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio. Eurodollar rate borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest based on the London Interbank Offered Rate, or its successor (LIBOR), for the interest period plus the lender spread based upon the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio. The unused commitment fee is based upon certain financial measures. The Credit Facility requires compliance with certain customary operational and financial covenants, including a leverage ratio. The Credit Facility also contains certain other customary limitations on the Company’s ability to incur additional debt, guarantee other obligations, grant liens on assets and make investments or acquisitions, among other limitations. Additionally, the Credit Facility prohibits the payment of cash dividends to the holding company from the operating company without the administrative agent’s consent, provided that so long as no default or event of default exists or would arise as a result thereof, the operating company may pay cash dividends to the holding company in an amount sufficient to allow the holding company to: (i) pay various audit, accounting, tax, securities, indemnification, reimbursement, insurance and other reasonable expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and (ii) repurchase shares of common stock and pay dividends on the Company’s common stock in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million during any fiscal year. The Company had no amounts outstanding and $5.7 million outstanding under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, the Company had undrawn, issued and outstanding letters of credit of $1.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively, which were reserved against the amount available for borrowing under the terms of the Credit Facility. The Company had $48.7 million and $43.3 million available for borrowing under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. On November 13, 2019, the Company amended the Credit Facility to extend the maturity date to November 13, 2024 and permit the operating company to pay cash dividends to Natural Grocers in an amount sufficient to allow Natural Grocers to repurchase shares of common stock and pay dividends on its common stock in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million during any fiscal year. Lease Obligations As of September 30, 2019, 23 leases were classified as capital and financing lease obligations (see Note 7). As a result of the Company’s adoption, effective October 1, 2019, of the new lease standard set out in ASC 842: (i) the Company’s previous capital financing lease obligations were derecognized and reclassified as operating or finance leases and (ii) the Company’s previous capital lease obligations were classified as finance leases. As of September 30, 2020, the Company had 19 leases that were classified as finance leases. No rent expense is recorded for these finance leases (previously classified as capital and financing lease obligations); rather, rental payments under such leases are recognized as a reduction of the lease obligation and as interest expense. The interest rate on finance lease obligations, and legacy capital and financing lease obligations, is determined at the inception of the lease. Interest The Company incurred gross interest expense of $2.2 million, $5.2 million and $4.7 million in the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Interest expense for the year ended September 30, 2020 relates primarily to interest on finance lease obligations. Interest expense for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 relates primarily to interest on capital and financing lease obligations. The Company capitalized interest of $0.1 million, $0.3 million and $0.2 million for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Note 10 - Long-term Debt

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Debt and Capital Leases Disclosures [Text Block]

10. Long-Term Debt

Credit Facility

On January 28, 2016, the Company entered into a credit facility (the Credit Facility). The operating company is the borrower under the Credit Facility and its obligations under the Credit Facility are guaranteed by the holding company and VC2. The Credit Facility is secured by a lien on substantially all of the Company’s assets. As of September 30, 2020, the amount available for borrowing under the Credit Facility was $50.0 million, including a $5.0 million sublimit for standby letters of credit. The Company has the right to borrow, prepay and re-borrow amounts under the Credit Facility at any time prior to the maturity date. The Credit Facility matures on November 13, 2024. Base rate loans under the Credit Facility bear interest at a fluctuating base rate, as determined by the lenders’ administrative agent based on the most recent compliance certificate of the operating company and stated at the highest of (i) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (ii) the prime rate, and (iii) the Eurodollar rate plus 1.00%, less the lender spread based upon the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio. Eurodollar rate borrowings under the Credit Facility bear interest based on the London Interbank Offered Rate, or its successor (LIBOR), for the interest period plus the lender spread based upon the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio. The unused commitment fee is based upon certain financial measures.

The Credit Facility requires compliance with certain customary operational and financial covenants, including a leverage ratio. The Credit Facility also contains certain other customary limitations on the Company’s ability to incur additional debt, guarantee other obligations, grant liens on assets and make investments or acquisitions, among other limitations. Additionally, the Credit Facility prohibits the payment of cash dividends to the holding company from the operating company without the administrative agent’s consent, provided that so long as no default or event of default exists or would arise as a result thereof, the operating company may pay cash dividends to the holding company in an amount sufficient to allow the holding company to: (i) pay various audit, accounting, tax, securities, indemnification, reimbursement, insurance and other reasonable expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business and (ii) repurchase shares of common stock and pay dividends on the Company’s common stock in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million during any fiscal year.

The Company had no amounts outstanding and $5.7 million outstanding under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, the Company had undrawn, issued and outstanding letters of credit of $1.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively, which were reserved against the amount available for borrowing under the terms of the Credit Facility. The Company had $48.7 million and $43.3 million available for borrowing under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2020 and September 30, 2019, respectively.

On November 13, 2019, the Company amended the Credit Facility to extend the maturity date to November 13, 2024 and permit the operating company to pay cash dividends to Natural Grocers in an amount sufficient to allow Natural Grocers to repurchase shares of common stock and pay dividends on its common stock in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10.0 million during any fiscal year.

Lease Obligations

As of September 30, 2019, 23 leases were classified as capital and financing lease obligations (see Note 7). As a result of the Company’s adoption, effective October 1, 2019, of the new lease standard set out in ASC 842: (i) the Company’s previous capital financing lease obligations were derecognized and reclassified as operating or finance leases and (ii) the Company’s previous capital lease obligations were classified as finance leases. As of September 30, 2020, the Company had 19 leases that were classified as finance leases. No rent expense is recorded for these finance leases (previously classified as capital and financing lease obligations); rather, rental payments under such leases are recognized as a reduction of the lease obligation and as interest expense. The interest rate on finance lease obligations, and legacy capital and financing lease obligations, is determined at the inception of the lease.

Interest

The Company incurred gross interest expense of $2.2 million, $5.2 million and $4.7 million in the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Interest expense for the year ended September 30, 2020 relates primarily to interest on finance lease obligations. Interest expense for the years ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 relates primarily to interest on capital and financing lease obligations. The Company capitalized interest of $0.1 million, $0.3 million and $0.2 million for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.