“I’m not one that does a lot of protesting, but the idea of having a storefront Starbucks is kind of against what I envisioned Gunnison to continue to develop into. The character of the city is a party in the consideration, said Secofsky. Community member Steve Secofsky said the development could increase congestion along Tomichi and competition for local coffee spots - in addition to uprooting a decades-old family business. The addition of the corporate business has caused concern for some citizens interested in preserving a local business ecosystem. ![]() “Our plan is to do what we can this fall and early winter in hopes of being able to spring out of the ground as soon as the ground thaws,” he said.įall of 2023 is an unofficial target for the opening. He’s also not looking to start a construction project in the dead of a Gunnison winter, one of the more expensive times of the year to build anything in the valley. Squirrell said he is still in the planning phase with the city, so a definitive timeline is premature. It’s hard to keep that kind of property for a fruit stand,” he said. “I worked with Javier to keep it open again this year. Squirrell said he wanted Mortensen to be able keep the lot open for this past summer, even though the property sold in June of this year. “We had a couple places that were good locations, but who knows what is going to happen.” “Any kind of lot that is empty might be for sale,” he said. He is already looking for a new lot, but won’t make decisions until February or March of next year. Mortensen is a painter and his wife does cleaning around the valley. They closed shop the last week of September, and returned full-time to their secondary jobs. ![]() He got word before their selling season began this year that the lease would not be renewed next summer, but was able to work out a final contract with the new owner to sell their fruit one last time on the busy Tomichi thoroughfare. Mortensen said he knew the sale was on the horizon, as the former owners were in negotiations for some time. They procure fruit and vegetables and bring it to produce-scarce Gunnison, helping to fill a need in a valley where farming is considerably harder due to the harsher and colder climate. From July to September, they travel around the adjoining counties of the Western Slope, from Grand Junction to Palisade to Olathe and Delta. The couple has operated under a three-month, summertime lease for decades. Owner Javier Mortensen’s dad started the business in 1989, but Mortensen bought the business two decades ago and has been running it with his wife ever since. As Starbucks moves in, the family business will have to find a different location to sell their wares. ![]() For the last 30 years, it’s been the summertime home to the Gunnison Fruit Stand. My client wanted to be in Gunnison, and we found the best spot to be in Gunnison,” he said.īut the vacant lot is not quite empty. “It fits, and it’s in a good location, and it checked all the boxes. Squirrell said the international coffee chain approached him for a location in Gunnison, and he found the lot on Tomichi suitable for the task. This is the first considerable interest in developing the lot in almost five years, Sinkewich said. Community Development Director Anton Sinkewich said the developer has submitted a preliminary plan and drawings of the project, and is currently working on compliance with the city’s land development code.
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