Fort Collins restaurants surviving

Despite the recent closing of Linden’s Brewing Co., a Fort

Collins restaurant and brewery, many businesses across the city are

reporting satisfactory profits and an optimistic future in a city

that ranks near the highest of restaurants per capita.

Linden’s suddenly closed last Tuesday when tax officials from

the treasury office of Larimer County took over the property when

owners failed to pay property tax. The brewery was known for its

live jazz and blues concerts and unique beers, located in the heart

of Old Town.

“That’s the beauty of free enterprise,” said President of Fort

Collins’ Chamber of Commerce David May, who explained that some

companies just make it and others do not.

May could not confirm whether Fort Collins was the city with the

highest rate of restaurants per capita, but said the city was near

the top among cities in the United States.

Students are faced with the decision to eat out at fast food

chains, restaurant chains or eateries unique to Fort Collins. Often

price and loyalty play into who eats where, and in the end this

determines how long a business may stay afloat, especially those

which are unique only to Fort Collins.

Jake Byler, an English major, said he has a couple of

restaurants in town he remains loyal to when going out to eat, but

most of the time eats fast food like Subway or Taco Bell when he is

strapped for cash.

“Austin’s and Coopersmith are my favorite restaurants to eat at

when I’m in the mood for something more decent,” Byler said.

General Manager Jeff Melka of Braddy’s Downtown Restaurant, 160

W. Oak St., said his restaurant is doing fine. Melka said the

restaurant would eventually like to move into a larger space and

offer additional room for more banquets and office functions.

“Generally, our sales figures are rising,” Melka said.

Other restaurants like Austin’s American Grill, 100 W. Mountain

Ave., and Coopersmith Brewing Co., 5 Old Town Square, have publicly

reported that profits are on the rise.

Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza and many other restaurant chains are

springing up along the Harmony Road Corridor off Interstate 25,

despite the fact some area restaurants are closing or

struggling.

“Fort Collins seems to have a very vibrant restaurant sector,”

May said.

Lorraine Archer, an associate at Canino’s Italian Restaurant,

613 S. College Ave., said she has more wait staff scheduled than

she can remember.

“We’re doing quite well,” Archer said. “We’re making a

living.”

May said the restaurant industry is “very competitive” and said

businesses thrive in Fort Collins because of factors including the

city being a college town with a great supply of workers, a strong

customer base and a substantial regional market.

“Over thirty percent of retail sales come from people outside of

Fort Collins,” May said.