In the wake of the fire, Durango remains “Alive”

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DURANGO, Colo. – Karen Barger, owner of Seasons Rotisserie & Grill, has been tearing up a lot lately, but it’s no longer a result of sadness or shock over the loss of her business. It’s because of the tremendous reinforcement she and all those affected by the Feb. 22 fire are realizing.

“The support of this community reflects on the wonderful people who call Durango home,” said Barger, and, indeed, Durango is doing what it does best.

On Feb. 22, three popular businesses, Seasons, Le Rendezvous Swiss Bakery & Café and Half-Price Tees, located in the 700 block of Main Ave. in Durango’s Historic Downtown, were destroyed as a result of a fire and explosion that are still under investigation. Nine firefighters were injured, but there were no fatalities. A week out, the shock is still reverberating, with interest in the tragedy coming in from around the globe.

“I had a call from China,” said Anne Barney, who handles public relations for the Durango Area Tourism Office. “It’s just amazing.”

Durango and the businesses affected are loved far and wide, but no more than by the locals. Residents Fritz Geisler and Christina Erteszek, though on their way to New Zealand, immediately sought out the presiding officer of the Durango Business Improvement District (BID) John Wells, offering a $10,000 gift for disaster relief. The BID went into immediate action.

“What we really need to do now is help the business owners and staff who depend on the lost businesses, as well as any first responders who need assistance,” said Tim Wheeler, BID board member and owner of Durango Coffee Company, also located in the 700 block of Main, though undamaged by the fire.

Wells was promptly on the phone to Steve Short, First National Bank of Durango president, and the “700 Main Avenue Disaster Relief Fund” was established. Before the weekend was over, a telephone vote among officers of the Durango Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association resulted in a matching donation of $10,000.

“It moved fast and furious,” said Jasper Welch, BID coordinator. “This community rallied during the Missionary Ridge Fires in 2002, but this is almost overwhelming.”

To insure integrity with the disaster relief fund, the BID has partnered with the Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado. As an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, the Community Foundation can offer tax deductions to donors, but is also looking toward the future.

“Tim Walsworth (CEO of United Way) and I have been talking about establishing a disaster relief fund for just this type of purpose,” said Lon Erwin, executive director of the Community Foundation. “And now we will have the infrastructure in place to respond immediately in the future.”

Infrastructure is great, but the BID/Community Foundation is responding to “now.”

“The purpose of the 700 Main Avenue fund is to assist with the needs of the ‘people’ directly affected by the fire,” said Wells. “The employees of these businesses are, in essence, now unemployed and may need assistance with living expenses and necessities over the next several weeks.”

The BID has created a simple application form, posted on the web site, www.downtowndurango.org or available at the BID office, 1199 Main Ave., Suite 210.

A committee formed by the Community Foundation – which will include representatives from United Way, American Red Cross, Colorado Restaurant Association and the La Plata Electric Round Up Foundation – will review the applications and determine grant amounts. All those eligible are being offered $100 City Market gift cards for immediate assistance.

Begun with the twin $10,000 donations, the fund is expected to grow to more than $100,000. Funds that are not used in this disaster will be retained in a designated Community Foundation account for future community use.

“Right now we’re looking at immediate needs,” said BID board member Rod Barker. “As we go on, there will be larger issues.”

On the heels of the Restaurant Association’s donation, Sergio and Hydi Verdusco announced “Dining Out to Help Out,” a special fund raising dinner set for March 9 at East by Southwest.

“We did fundraisers for Katrina (relief) and the tsunami (in Indonesia) and those raised $11,000 and $12,000 (respectively),” said Hydi Verdusco. “And so we’re hoping, because this is local, to go way beyond that.”

Following Tim Wheeler’s announcement that he will donate 5 percent of Durango Coffee Company’s revenues for the next two weeks to the fund, Terry Hutchison of Y.E.S.S. the Book Hutch has announced that she will contribute all net proceeds from sales Saturday, March 8, and 10 percent of all sales for the entire month of March.

Richard Carpenter, owner of ULTRASTEAM Professional Cleaning, has matched Wheeler’s pledge offering 5 percent of his generated revenues over the next two weeks to the fund as well.

“That first evening, the people who work at those establishments were foremost in my mind,” said Carpenter. “Until the rebuilding is complete, many of the staff may have very limited options.”

Additionally, Carpenter has offered his flood cleanup services at no charge to anyone not covered by insurance who sustained damage in this disaster.

Durango’s galleries are also exploring ways to assist, with Karyn Gabaldon stepping up with an opportunity drawing for one of her paintings, “Magic of Durango.” Customers earn an opportunity to win for every $5 they donate to the relief cause in Gabaldon’s gallery, located at 680 Main Ave.

“People are extremely generous,” said Gabaldon. “This is a very ‘unofficial’ yet fun way for people to donate. Everyone wants to help. We all feel for those poor business owners and employees.”

And the gifts and fundraising opportunities continue. On March 7, Baskin & Robbins will donate all sales between 5  and 10 PM – and any donations left at the store – to the fund. And the San Juan Symphony will perform a benefit concert on April 5 at the Henry Strater Theater.

“What a week, and it is still not over,” said Jasper Welch noting that even though the initial “wave” of the emergency is over, the rebuilding will continue. “Everyone has contributed to getting us this far, and we have a ways to go. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and this renewal and rebuilding of the 700 block of downtown will take time. But I think that the BID Board, staff and strategic partners such as the Community Foundation have pulled together to as ‘Team BID’ to really make a difference in helping our downtown and community.”

Much of the focus of the fire-damaged businesses has been on the restaurants involved, with a mention in national news of “a t-shirt shop.” What many other than locals didn’t realize was that the retail storefront of Half-Price Tees was but a fraction of the core business, a custom embroidery and print shop run by Eric and Kay Kiesel.

“We’re doing limited work from a remote site right now, and I’ve already contacted equipment vendors and they’re getting ready to ship me new equipment,” said Eric Kiesel, who actively supports many non-profit events and entities around town. “I may need a week or so to get out of the murk of the insurance and everything else, but once I get my equipment, we’re going to be rocking and rolling. Kay and I are not ones to let grass grow under our feet.”

Ultimately, Half-Price Tees would like to remain in the Downtown area, and if they can return to the burned out location, so much the better. The established Half-Price Tees phone number (970.259.4883) connects to Kiesel’s cell phone.

“We love being Downtown,” said Kiesel. “If we can find the right spot, I could be back up to full production with custom embroidery and print in two to four weeks, but right now, yes, we’re in business. Give us a call.”

The future for Le Rendezvous is not as clear cut. Pierre Rochat has met with his staff, and the future of that restaurant is pending. But, as Bob Kunkel, the city’s Downtown business and promotions specialist, notes, the “team” that is the staff of Le Rendezvous, expressed their intent to return.

“One of these little sub-stories is the strength of the family of these places. It’s unbelievable,” said Kunkel. “Like Karen’s group (at Seasons). We’re a family (she said). You should have heard her inspiring presentation to the staff. I stood in the back in the alley. She said, ‘This is our home, this is a family.’”

The businesses are “digging out” from under the rubble, and memorabilia, calendars and more are being uncovered – including a vast amount of wine from Seasons’ cellar. The labels have been lifted because of the water damage, but the wine is still good.

That said, the numerous cases of wine will be auctioned or for sale at a dedication/remembrance event slated for March 21, on Main Ave. in the 700 block.

“We’ll have a t-shirt sale, a wine sale and a brick sale,” said Kunkel referencing t-shirts produced by Kiesel, wine from Seasons, and bricks from the destroyed buildings.

Going forward into spring and summer, Greg Caton, assistant city manager for Durango, is working with City staff to expedite redesign, approvals and reconstruction of the buildings. The Durango Arts Center has put out a call for artists to produce a mural to adorn the façade covering the “hole” on Main Avenue, and some creative, “out of the box” thinking is going on for further enhancement of the Downtown.

“I wish more people could have been at that meeting,” said Melisa Caskey, a vice president with Bank of Colorado, of the BID board strategizing meeting held earlier this week. “It is really amazing all that has been and is being done for these businesses and for our community.”

This Downtown is not “down.” It’s Durango. Even in the face of disaster, magic happens here.

To follow the on-going relief efforts, visit www.downtowndurango.org.

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