New stores are popping up all over Downtown and North Main Avenue, bringing new options to the heart of Durango’s shopping areas.
Cerda 7 Cantina Y Comida opened recently in the third space carved out of the old Francisco’s building. It has wonderful food, drinks and dancing on most nights. Check out its New Year’s Eve party this Saturday. For just $50, you get a DJ, open bar and hors d’oeuvres.
The Living Tree Live Foods Salad Bar brings fresh, organic food options to Downtown at 680 Main Ave., just across Main from the Strater Hotel. Build your own salad or choose from one of its signature salads.
On North Main Avenue, have you seen the new retail store from Purgatory that opened before Christmas? The store offers Purgatory logo apparel, full service ski and snowboard rentals, plus a ticket office. It’s located at 2615 Main Ave. and will soon house the company headquarters for Purgatory Resort, as well as four other resorts.
You probably have also seen construction at the old 7-2-11 convenience store location. This is soon to become an insurance agency office and will also offer small offices for lease for other businesses.
The former Dairy Queen site at 2817 Main Ave. is slated to become a Starbucks, complete with a drive-through option. We will miss those Blizzards but are excited to see new life pumped into this building.
Back Downtown, Brown’s Shoe Fit is moving a few doors north to the southeast corner of 9th and Main Avenue. This will put the store directly across the street from Brown’s Shoe Fit, which will make it easier to refer customers back and forth between the two sister stores. Brown’s Sport Shoe will be able to expand its inventory in its new location, slated to open Jan. 15.
In the old Brown’s Shoe Fit location, Claude Steelman is bringing back his Wild Shots Gallery to Main Avenue. Steelman has been focusing on his photography for the past couple of years, and Wild Shots will feature some of his new work. Look for it to open around mid February.
Stillwater Music is relocating to Downtown, with a new facility opening in the Crossroads Center next to Katzin Music. Stillwater Music teaches music to local youth, and it holds performances regularly in and around Durango.
Happy New Year to these new businesses in the heart of Durango.
timw@downtowndurango.org. Tim Walsworth is the executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District.
