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Happy Friday, Longmont! Halloween may be over but spookiness isn’t — today is Friday the 13th. It’s also November 13, which marks the anniversary of the Amityville murders that took place on this day in 1974, and spawned one of the most famous ghost stories in history. Be sure to avoid black cats, walking under ladders and spilling salt. Our advice — don’t lose any sleep over this stuff. As the great Michael Scott once said, “I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious.”
Today — a brand new look for a section of downtown Longmont, the business taking over Landline Doughnuts’ building and a massive showdown in high school football.
Let’s dive in.
TOP STORY
🌎 Inside the dramatic transformation of 704 Main Street
Courtesy: Jason Buss, F9 Productions
It spent years on the edge of obscurity. Today, it’s a bustling hub leading a new era for north downtown Longmont.
Across the last eight decades, 704 Main Street has been home to a grocery store, auto shops and, most recently, a pawn shop. Now, it’s home to three distinct businesses: Kuper Wine Bar, The Vinyl Cafe and Gaia Masala & Burger, all of which have opened in the space in the last several months.
And there’s still one vacancy left to fill.
How it happened: The transformation came courtesy of David Elowe and his real estate company Urban West Group. Where many saw an eyesore, Elowe saw an idea. He brought in architecture firm F9 Productions to helm the design and its sister company F14 Productions for the build. Amid constraining economic conditions and a tight budget, the restoration process began. Soon, the team found the building had plenty worth preserving — and flaunting. According to F9 Principal Architect, Lance Cayko…
During demolition, crews removed the ceilings, unveiling a hidden gem: barrel-vaulted steel bow trusses — a highly valued asset in the architectural world. Their curved ceilings create a distinctive & dramatic interior, a historic industrial aesthetic, and ample natural light. F9 said it was the building’s best feature.
They also found old-growth lumber in the ceiling. “Big, beautifully straight 14-foot-long 2x6s. We salvaged them and reused them to frame the demising walls between each new suite.”
More surprises were waiting, in the form of the building’s brick walls.
“We were nervous about pulling the vinyl siding off the outside of [the east] wall because we expected the brick underneath to be so deteriorated it would be very expensive to repair. Instead the brick was in excellent shape, so repairing it, re-toothing it and staining it was fairly cost-effective in the context of the overall development,” Cayko said.
F9 reopened and widened the covered storefronts & garage bays, added a large glass garage door on the south side, and cut new storefront openings into the Main Street wall, adding entrances, signage, and lighting as well as new parking striping, landscaping, and four outdoor patios on the south side.
Where are they now: Between Elowe purchasing the building, design, over a year of construction, and tenants moving in, nearly two years had passed. Then this summer, Elowe’s vision came to fruition.
Kuper Wine Bar and Gaia Masala & Burger were the first to open doors, kicking off operations in July.
The Vinyl Cafe opened on August 7, moving from their previous Longmont location just down the road at 716 Main Street.
The fourth tenant is yet to be signed, but Cayko said interest has been high. He added that a retail tenant or coffee shop would be ideal for the space.
Big picture:
Other businesses have been contributing to the 700 block’s new life, as well. Dog food shop Farm to Pup held its grand opening in September at its location on 716 Main St.
Plus, late night action is quickly becoming a hallmark of north Main Street. Several places in the 700 block stay open hours after most Longmont attractions close:
Gaia Masala is open until 3 am daily.
Drifters Thrift Bar is open until 12 am Friday and Saturday, and until 11 pm on Monday — when it also becomes a popular karaoke spot.
Cheba Hut is open until midnight Sunday - Thursday, and until 2 am on Friday and Saturday.
Ad sponsored by Grossen Bart Brewery
Celebrate Longmont’s hidden gem brewery
It’s hard to excel at anything for 12 years. But, it happens. Grossen Bart Brewery is celebrating its 12th anniversary and its team wants you in attendance to help them party. Save the date: On December 12, Grossen Bart will host live music from three different bands, food trucks will be available, and a brand new beer will be released. Can’t make it on the 12th? The brewery is hosting a pre-party on the 11th. Can’t attend either day? Might as well just stop by this weekend, take in some football, and enjoy good company. Find your community at Grossen Bart Brewery, 1025 Delaware Ave.
Headlines
3 Big Things
Silver Creek football enters round 2 of state playoffs: Silver Creek High School’s football team is the last gridiron squad in Longmont still fighting for a chance at a state title. Tonight, the Raptors will have their work cut out for them as they take on second-ranked Holy Family. The Tigers are one of the best offenses in Colorado — they have never scored fewer than 36 points in a game this season, and five times score more than 50 points, including a 70-0 victory over Niwot. The game begins tonight at 6 pm at Holy Family High School.
Grand opening of a “Baby Cafe”: Yesterday afternoon, Boulder County Public Health celebrated the opening of Longmont’s Boulder County Baby Cafe. The facility is a free drop-in resource where families can receive breastfeeding and lactation support, connect with other parents & caregivers and receive guidance from a skilled lactation consultant. The Longmont site marks BCPH’s second baby cafe location, with one already in operation in Boulder. To learn more about the baby cafe, click here.
More Quiet Zone construction has begun: Construction on Atwood Street and 4th and 6th Avenues will began yesterday as Longmont continues its quest to silence many of the city’s railroad crossings. Action should last roughly a week as crews work to install a four-quadrant gate at both intersections. Looking ahead, the city estimates train horns to stop sounding at 5th Avenue and Terry Street this winter, while horns at 3rd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 21st, and Longs Peak Avenues should go quiet around next summer, pending Federal Railroad Administration approval. Learn more about traffic impacts from this phase of work here.
Check this out
Coffee shop will replace Landline Doughnuts
A successor to Landline Doughnuts has been named.
January Coffee will soon fill the vacancy left at 321 Main St. by one of Longmont’s all-time favorite third places. January Coffee opened its first location in 2022 in Boulder. Owners — and Longmont residents — John and Kristi Persinger aim to open the Longmont location in winter of 2027.
Who is January Coffee?
The Persinger’s say January Coffee is the culmination of over 35 combined years of working in the industry, inspired by their favorite coffee shops around the world.
They offer coffee from several roasters, including the award-winning Onyx Coffee Lab, which was named best in the world by The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops earlier this year.
January’s syrups, sauces, and chai are made in-house.
Food is a big part of what January offers, too. In addition to burritos, sandwiches and toasts, the cafe is lauded for its vegan options. In 2024, January won Westword’s Best of Denver Award for “Best Vegan Breakfast Burrito.”
Looking ahead:
The Persinger’s say they plan to soon expand their breakfast and lunch menus, as well as adding beer, wine and cocktails to their drink offerings.
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Events
Happening this weekend
Harvest Flavors: Finally give in to fall this weekend when Downtown Longmont hosts its Harvest Flavors celebration. Participating businesses will serve free fall-themed bites and sips for attendees. A sneak peek at some of the goods: the release of a cinnamon whiskey from Abbot & Wallace Distilling, Fire Cider Chai at Juniper Goods, and *checks notes* squash tostadas at Jefe’s. The event takes place from 11 am - 3 pm tomorrow. Check out the full list of participating businesses here.
High School Musical at Silver Creek: Support local theatre by seeing Silver Creek High School’s production of one of the most popular musicals of the 21st century. For this weekend only, the Raptor theatre program is performing High School Musical — Disney’s massive pop culture phenomenon about a basketball star who decides to join his high school’s musical after falling for the new girl in town. Opening night was last night, but three performances remain. See the show tonight at 6:30, at a 1:30 pm matinee tomorrow, or the penultimate performance Saturday night. Learn more here.
Two orchestra performances: What a musical weekend. The Longmont Symphony Orchestra continues its 60th season tomorrow night with its show Fire, Water & Transfiguration. Among the evening’s highlights is the world premiere — and LSO’s first ever live commercial recording — of Massimiliano Messieri’s Saxophone Concerto — a “stunning new work inspired by the elemental forces of nature.” Looking for something new? Music fans can also attend the live album recording and debut of a new 20-piece jazz ensemble in Longmont, the Warriors of Peace Jazz Orchestra. Learn more about who they are and the performance here.
Last Call
Today’s Longmont weather forecast predicts a cloudy day with a high of 63 degrees and a low of 34 degrees, per the National Weather Service.
Gas prices continue to plunge. The average cost for a gallon of unleaded in Longmont-Boulder is $3.79 today, a 10-cent drop from yesterday, and a 36-cent decline from a week ago, per AAA.
Construction alert: Longmont crews will begin milling and paving Pace Street between 17th and Mountain View Avenues on Monday. Work should be completed by the end of Thursday.
Check out how local schools honored our nation’s finest on Veterans Day.
Krave It added a new Thanksgiving-themed pizza to its menu.
Johnny Depp returns to the big screen, and our hearts, when Ebenezer — the newest iteration of Charles Dickens’ iconic novella, A Christmas Carol — releases in theaters today. Action comedy How to Rob a Bank is making its debut, as well. Check Regal Village at the Peaks showtimes here.
Until next time,
The Longmont Brief
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