A longstanding restaurant in downtown Durango announced it will close for good.
In a post on Facebook, the Red Snapper’s culinary team John Sheehan and Nancy Rowley wrote they are closing the seafood-centric restaurant at 114 E. Ninth Street.
The owners declined to comment for this story.
“I’m sad to announce that after serving this great community for over 15 years we are closing The Red Snapper,” the post reads.
Red Snapper was opened in 1985 by Karen and Rick Langhart. They owned the restaurant until 2005 when they sold it to Sheehan.
The Facebook post makes no mention of financial difficulties associated with the coronavirus outbreak, which has limited restaurants to providing only take-out and delivery in Colorado.
In recent weeks, Eno Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar in downtown Durango and Pura Vida Café in Vallecito announced they were closing as a result of the shutdown putting a financial strain on their businesses.
Tim Walsworth, executive director of the Durango Business Improvement District, called Red Snapper an “institution” in downtown Durango’s restaurant scene. He said the restaurant had been offering take-out and delivery on weekends.
“It’s just hard to make it on that model only,” he said.
For the past month, Walsworth said local officials have been pushing Gov. Jared Polis for a plan to reopen restaurants.
Polis has said he hopes to allow restaurants to reopen by the end of May, but the governor’s office has not released any sort of framework or regulations that would be associated with reopening.
A spokesman with the governor’s office said Polis is holding news conference at 1:30 p.m. Monday that may clarify the matter.
“We’re asking, what is the current thinking because that will allow restaurants to plan instead of being stuck in limbo land,” Walsworth said.
Walsworth said there are some financial assistance programs for restaurants, but that won’t be able to keep all businesses afloat during the shutdown.
“Restaurants are the heart of any downtown, but especially our downtown,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s inevitable that some businesses won’t make it.”
jromeo@durangoherald.com