Seasons Rotisserie & Grill, a cherished downtown dining spot, is celebrating its 30th anniversary Saturday, marking three decades of success, despite highs and lows since opening in 1994.
Founded by Roger Roessler and Gerry Sharer, the restaurant became known for its seasonal menu, earning a loyal following of customers and staff, some of whom have remained with the restaurant since its early days.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s been 30 years,” said owner Karen Barger.
Barger took over the business in 2003 after working as a manager for the restaurant for eight years. Barger saw the restaurant through the 2008 fire and the COVID-19 pandemic which put significant strain on the restaurant.
The restaurant was completely rebuilt after being destroyed by the fire on Feb. 22, 2008. Investigators determined the fire originated in the ductwork of Seasons’ kitchen, leading to the total destruction of the restaurant and two neighboring businesses, Half Price Tees and Le Rendezvous Swiss Bakery. Several other businesses were forced to temporarily close due to smoke damage.
Nine firefighters were injured when an explosion shook the building, scattering bricks and glass across the block, shocking hundreds of onlookers.
It took some help from the community to keep the business afloat during that time. Chuck Norton, owner of Highway 3 Roadhouse, allowed Barger to use his restaurant for monthly events, in order to keep some stream of revenue coming in for the entire year the restaurant was down.
Barger credits her staff and the community for why the business is still thriving.
“We have a team filled with people who love what they do,” Barger said.
Barger was able to maintain all of her staff members except for two after the fire.
Enduring the COVID-19 pandemic also forced restaurants to get creative with their approach. She said there was a feeling that the hospitality industry may never be the same. Businesses were forced to socially distance and modify their restaurants, leading to Durango’s bump-out program.
Some restaurants moved to counter service to reduce cost of labor. Barger said restaurants had to make quick decisions to survive. Cost of food was on the rise and restaurants had to compete on worker wages, reflecting higher costs in menu items.
Again, Barger credits the loyalty of her staff.
She said the staff’s exceptional attention to detail for customers is what makes it so great. It also took creativity and ingenuity to navigate the hurdle the pandemic threw at restaurants, Barger said.
“It puts us in a pretty small group of restaurants who’ve been able to stay open 30 years,” Barger said.
The pandemic spelled doom for many downtown staple restaurants including the Irish Embassy, Red Snapper, The Palace Restaurant and Kassidy’s Kitchen. Three years later, Olde Tymer's Cafe closed due to the high cost of operating the space.
Seasons joins the ranks of businesses like Durango Coffee Co., Maria’s Bookshop, and the Ore House (despite its current closure due to a fire) in celebrating more than 30 years of operation. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Seasons will host an open house and wine bazaar from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
“It means everything to me that this business is still thriving,” she said. “It’s really been a testament to this community and the staff’s ability adapt.”
tbrown@durangoherald.com
