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Spagnolos open coffee shop in Glenwood Springs
Couple moves on after losing former business to 2006 fire
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Becky Spagnolo watches as her husband, Corey, left, walks into their new coffee and gift shop, The Corner Gourmet, on Grand Avenue.
Kara K. Pearson Post Independent
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Pete Fowler
December 12, 2007
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GLENWOOD SPRINGS - The saddest thing was seeing smoke billowing out of the front door and a giant, soaking-wet teddy bear sitting out front.
"It was horrible. It was a nightmare," said Becky Spagnolo.
It's been a long time since Corey and Becky Spagnolo had their business, Spagnolo's Restaurant, shut down after a fire at the Grand Avenue Mall. It was started by a copy machine in offices above the restaurant in March 2006.
Corey, a musician, and Becky, a former club manager in Los Angeles, have moved on. They opened The Corner Gourmet at 1101 Grand Ave. next to Kaleidoscoops for its first full day of business Monday. They considered finding a new location for Spagnolo's, but it proved too difficult.
They'd been eyeing the 1101 Grand Ave. location - a few doors down from their home - for a couple of years.
"We saw this spot and said, 'This would make a great spot for a little coffee and gift shop," Corey said.
The store offers gourmet coffee and espresso drinks to go, unique food, and gift items from jigsaw puzzles to jewelry, candles, lotions and customized gift baskets. Becky's moved her home gift-basket business inside the store.
It's convenient because people can come in, grab a cup of coffee, and order up a custom gift basket instead of shopping for gifts, Becky said.
"I know when we owned Spagnolo's I had no time to go shopping," she said.
Gift baskets can be delivered for free within Glenwood Springs.
Running The Corner Gourmet is more laid-back than operating a restaurant. Requiring only an employee or two to help out instead of a full restaurant staff also makes things easier because employees are tough to come by in the area.
"It's great," Becky said. "I really feel for every business that has a lot of employees because that in itself is a full-time job."
Starting a new business has been a long process since the fire.
"We didn't think we'd be victims of someone else's insurance company," Corey said. "The day of the fire I was quoted (in the Post Independent) as saying, 'I think I've got a problem.' Little did I know how big a problem I'd have - that it would drag on for almost two years."
The couple still has its restaurant equipment down at 812 Grand Ave., but they said they don't know what will happen since the Lundin family, who owns the building, still is awaiting a resolution with an insurance company regarding the fire. Becky didn't rule out the possibility that Spagnolo's could reopen somewhere, but said it seemed unlikely.
In February, the Spagnolos were named the 2006 Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association's Volunteers of the Year for helping the chamber open a gift shop at the visitor center.
The Spagnolos weren't the only ones affected by the fire. Phil Gallagher of Gallagher's Optical hasn't reopened and probably won't.
"I'm still trying to fight the insurance companies," Gallagher said.
That business was downtown for about 27 years and in the Grand Avenue Mall for almost 14 years.
Mountain Ink and Apparel, a tattoo shop, relocated to Cooper Avenue temporarily and later found a permanent home back on Grand Avenue.
Pat and Calvin Roberts, who owned Teddy's Corner, closed the store and haven't reopened it. But they also own the Watersweeper and the Dwarf, a downtown gift shop.
The Grand Avenue Mall building also housed several office tenants that left after the fire.
The fire also shut down the Dragon's Lair, which offered games and goods related to dragons and other mythical creatures.
The owners, Paul and Alysn Russell, are focusing on the websites www.edragonstore.com and www.dragonsport.com to continue selling their products, as well as looking at presenting them at conventions. But losing their former retail location has been difficult.
"We miss all the young people," Alysn said. "It was a magical place even for us."
Contact Pete Fowler: 384-9121pfowler@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
New coffee/gift shop
• The Corner Gourmet, at 1101 Grand Ave., is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
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