Homeslice Pizza plans to open a third location in a portion of the old Digs restaurant in Three Springs, and once that occurs, sometime in May, the north Main Avenue restaurant will close for remodeling.
Lynn Kitch, who co-owns Homeslice, with her husband, Cory, had planned to build in Three Springs on a vacant lot next to the old Digs spot, but when the restaurant space opened, it made more sense to occupy space already used as a restaurant.
Extensive remodeling is almost complete at the new Three Springs restaurant, which will take up about half the space occupied by Digs.
Three Springs, she said, is about the only location in Durango that needs another restaurant.
“It’s really the only place without leaving town that we could expand our business model,” she said.
Proximity to Mercy Regional Medical Center, another subdivision slated for development and growing commercial development that might include a new grocery store, all made the Three Springs location attractive, Kitch said.
In addition, she said residents of Bayfield and Elmore’s Corner could come to the restaurant, either for a sit-down meal or for take-out, without having to go to downtown Durango.
Homeslice Pizza planned to open in Three Springs on May 1, and then close the north Main Avenue restaurant for a complete remodel to add a permanent kitchen and rooftop patio and bar.
COVID-19 has thrown a wrench into the timeline, with the new Three Springs store slated to open sometime in May, and that will be followed by the closure of the north Main location for the remodel.
Plans are to reassign north Main employees to the other two restaurants when that restaurant is temporarily closed for the remodel. The Kitches will then hire about 18 people, mostly part-time, to staff the new Three Springs location when north Main reopens.
Kitch noted crises tend to coincide with big events for Homeslice.
The Kitches opened their original restaurant on East College Drive in the middle of the Missionary Ridge Fire, which also claimed the Kitches’ home.
“Now, we’re opening this new spot during the pandemic. So we’ve got a theme going on here,” she said.
The Three Springs location will feature a full bar at the back of the restaurant, and the menu, featuring pizza, sandwiches and salads, will be the same at all three restaurants.
Deliveries have already been expanded to cover Three Springs, ahead of the new location’s opening, and delivery fees have been suspended during the pandemic.
Three Springs will also feature take-and-bake pizzas, Kitch said.
“People have been really supportive and asking when we’ll be opening. I know that they really want us out there. I know a lot of people in Three Springs are looking for a local hangout spot, and we’ll be open soon.”
parmijo@durangoherald.com
